1951 South Lake Tahoe
Photo/ Lake Tahoe Historical Society

In 1951, Cecil’s Market (with the parked cars) was directly across the street from the “Flying A” gas station (left) on the two-lane Highway 50 at Stateline.

Today, that gas station is Tahoe Tom’s.

The historic Cecil’s remained until about 2000, replaced by the Park Avenue Project as seen in the 2011 aerial photo. Only the Tahoe Tom’s gas station still exists over these 60 years.

Also at left in 1951, below the gas station, was a quonset hut (looks long and white at the left margin) which was the Lakeside Theatre, owned and operated there from the 1940s to 1962 by (Judge) Rudy and Jeannie Buchanan. It stood where the Park Tahoe Inn is now on Highway 50. The small road between the gas station and movie theater has become today’s Park Avenue.

Below Cecil’s Market was a long driveway with vertical markers (going to the right margin).

2011/Google Earth

Those markers actually were yellow illuminated driveway lanterns guiding customers to the original Tahoe Drive-In Theatre, owned and operated there from the 1940s to 1955 by Steve Myers in a pasture on the Van Sickle Stateline Stables property. It was approximately where the Heavenly Village Cinema is today. That driveway eventually became more of Park Avenue and now is named Heavenly Village Way.

Notice the private residences on Highway 50 at Stateline in the 1950s where today it is totally commercial.

The Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum has an extremely clear enlargement of the 1951 aerial photo for free viewing, open Saturdays 11am-3pm.

— Bill Kingman