Then and now: From dancing to redevelopment
Dancing halls were once the rage in South Lake Tahoe. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum
In 1948, the Bijou Park Club boasted dancing. Harry Rose’s Bar hosted a community Easter Egg Hunt on Highway 50 not far from today’s Tahoe Meadows.
Years later, a two-story white wooden building near that site housed Armstrong Realty and Rentals which had apartments in the back. I rented a studio unit there in 1961 for $75 a month, utilities included. Parking in back was on a dirt driveway from Highway 50.
The South Shore in 1965. Photo/Bill Kingman
The 1965 photo shows that same section of Highway 50 as a shopping/business area including Lou’s Burgers, The Chef’s Inn, White House Realty, Milano Realty, and a Richfield gas station.
Over the years, some later businesses there included Bandana’s Pizza, Lumbleau School of Real Estate, Federico’s College of Hair Styling, Mountain High Records, and others. In wintertime, however, flooding of Highway 50 at Wildwood Avenue was a persistent problem and locals jokingly would refer to it as “Lake Wildwood.” A detour one block closer to Ski Run Boulevard was the intersection of Sonora Avenue and Highway 50. That intersection was covered/eliminated in the 1980s with construction of the Fantasy Inn.
This is the same location at the other photos as it exists in 2014. Photo/Bill Kingman
Redevelopment now has restored both sides of that Highway 50 area with vegetation and drainage control. Many motels and other businesses were razed near Wildwood Avenue where the Memorial Log, large lawn, and greenery now exist
— Bill Kingman
Bill, another good one! Across the hiway was a sandwhich shop owned buy a guy named Jim Gaylord who was also a tax accountant, so you could get a corned beef on rye and get tax advice all at one small shop! Next door there was a SMALL record store that later became the “The Dead Head”. Then George “jimmy” Valentine bought it from the original owner, a beautiful red haired lady that lived out at Fallen Leaf Lake and moved it up to stateline and moving it to a couple of other locations around town.
I don’t remember Lou’s Burgers but I do remember Lawrences Economy Store a couple doors down from what your photos show. Going to Lawrences there with my mom to buy school clothes. Corduroy pants? Do they even make those anymore?
Thanks Bill, OLS
Many years ago I lost my pay check at the clubs and went to Federico’s for a free hair cut before a job interview. Both were bad ideas.