Then and now: Scarce Barton Ranch remnants
Boarded up Barton Ranch building in South Lake Tahoe. Photo/Bill Kingman
Today, the historic Barton Ranch front building still stands unobtrusively on highways 50 and 89 near the Y in South Lake Tahoe across from Pier 1 Imports.
The Y today. Photo/Bill Kingman
The original Barton Ranch extensive land holdings, which were on both sides of the highway, included where today’s Barton Memorial Hospital stands.
Tahoe Sierra Market
Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society
Next to the Barton Ranch home building and across the driveway is the end wing of today’s South Y Center.
Until the late 1960s, left-to-right on this same site were Tahoe Sierra Market, Miller’s Cabins, and Tahoe Valley Lodge , and more, up to the 50-89 junction.
According to long-time (since 1947) local
Miller’s Cabins
Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society
resident Dave Wakeman, Tahoe Sierra Market was
Tahoe Valley Lodge
Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society
owned and operated by local meat purveyors Fenn Barkley and his brother-in-law Harvey Gross, who also founded Harvey’s Gambling Hall and Saloon at Stateline in 1946.
— Bill Kingman
Thanks for sharing. I love this regular feature of Lake Tahoe News!
Bill K, I remember going into that market when our family vacationed here in 1950 something. I was just a little guy but it seems there was a butcher shop off to the side of the store. I’m glad the Barton house still stands today. There was a for sale sign or maybe a for lease sign on it for awhile. It should be preserved as a part of tahoe history.Thanks Bill, OLS
It would be really cool if the Barton house could be opened for guided tours with a talk given by the guide about old Tahoe and the history of some of the early pioneering familys on So. Shore. Have the house set with furnishings and pictures from that era. I bet there would be a few people that would like to see their old Tahoe stuff on display at the Barton house. Lake Tahoe Historical Society, what do you think?
I’ve always wanted to see the inside of that house, so maybe the heirs to that old gem would like to see it preserved and shown off as a trip down memory lane of old Tahoe.
There’s lots of parking and it’s easy to find.
Wishful thinking by yours truly, Old Long Skiis
I was told it is a registered historical landmark/buildings. Apparently it is under certain laws and or regulations as what can be done to it.
My grandfather said he attended the CHP academy years ago at the site across the street where the florist is now. Wish I could find pics of that. Thanks Bill
We must do what we can to save these historic ranch buildings. When they are gone there goes more of our history. Commercial buildings will go in covering up one more site from those golden days…… if we don’t do something NOW!