Then and now: Meyers was once a destination
Meyers circa 1930 looking northeast on Highway 50. A fire in 1938 destroyed the Celio store and hotel. Photo/Pomona Public Library/Frasher Fotos Collection
Meyers was once a bustling hub on the South Shore, with hotels and other businesses that catered to the early settlers in the area.
The last hotel in Meyers occupied the parcel where the CCC building is today.
— Bill Kingman
Meyers in the 1940-50s looking southwest across Highway 50. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society
Meyers 2014, same southwest mountains profile as the photo at left, viewing Highway 50 from today’s Apache Street. Photo/Bill Kingman
Three story buildings packed densely together! And it looks nice. Communities are not stagnant, change is a part of life. Communities that become stagnant lose their youth and deteriorate and become vacant. Thriving communities frequently reinvent themselves: mining, logging, gambling, outdoor recreation, what is next… People in Meyers should think of the past and future.
We like Meyers the way it is. Nice and quiet and away from casino tourist chaos.
I think both of you are missing the point entirely.
It is a very misleading simplification that “Meyers was once what none of you want it to become”.
The pictures do not demonstrate that there were densely packed three story buildings looking nice all over Meyers. Remember that they were mostly taken out by a late 30’s fire?
Meyers residents are not necessarily unhappy with what it is now, all the while recognizing that some cleanup is needed.
They do not, however, want Ms Santiago etal spending county money (tax payer money) on a north shore planners concept that was not vetted on any level other than their own.
Nobody in Meyers wants another example of the state line area as far as I can tell. Based on buzz words and planner speak, conscious attempts to slip it between the cracks, it looked like the powers that be were working to create a massive increase in tax base with little thought for existing residents and businesses or the existing plan for that matter.
Smart Hub???? Athletic training center with hundreds of rat warren rooms. Underground parking for 400 cars. (Parenthetically, how are all those myriad athletes going to get to the training areas from Meyers?)
A “Catalyst project”, with an attempt to involve the Federal Government as witnessed by Santiago’s published communications.
Build one of these every 30 odd miles around the lake?
How is this supposed to be acceptable to the existing residents and businesses in Meyers?
Historically, Meyers was a gateway to the Tahoe area, and I see nothing wrong with continuing to focus on that aspect. Give travelers a reason to pause coming and going for information, fuel, food, an activity or two that is attractive to those new to Tahoe and not connected with gambling. Family oriented more so than the balance of Tahoe. Get them out of their cars and on their bikes.
I don’t have answers to the best plan or path, but it is very obvious the sponsors of the Catalyst project do not either.
Meyers residents ARE definitely thinking of both past and future.
We live in Meyers. Our kids live in Meyers. I would dig seeing a central pedestrian based area connected by bike trails, stores, bars, shops. Meyers will always be a stop on the way to and from Tahoe, but we can and should continue to make it much more for the locals. Movie theatre, fire pits, museums, ropes courses etc. But this stuff only comes as a result of a certain amount of growth and development.
Meyers has always been a cool place!I hope it gets cleaned up a bit without becoming over developed.
The pictures from the 30′, 40’s and 50’s were great!
Thanks Bill, OLS