Then and now: Horses give way to the auto

Van Sickle ranch at Stateline in 1901. Photo/Private Collection

Horses were once a mainstay at Lake Tahoe. They were used for transportation and work.

Today horses are a rare sight at the lake. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society

Whereas motorized means prevail now, in the early 1900s horses would haul wagonloads of hay to the Van Sickle barn at Stateline. Today the ranchland is the site of the Village Center — proving cars have replaced horses.

Lumber being hauled in the early 1900s. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society

Horses also hauled cut timber, food and supplies for backcountry excursions , and passengers on the dirt trail to Fallen Leaf Lake

Pack horses allowed for extended travel in remote areas. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society

Of course, there were people who just enjoyed horseback riding.

A stagecoach at Fallen Leaf Lake. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society 

— Bill Kingman

The U.S. Forest Service hauls Christmas trees out of the forest. Photo/Tahoe National Forest