Then and now: Third Street appearance changes
Highway 50 near Third Street in South Lake Tahoe in the 1960s. Photo/South Lake Tahoe
Highway 50 near Third Street in 1960s South Lake Tahoe had a gaggle of buildings and businesses shown on the left in the photo above. This included Bob Bellemore’s used car dirt lot on the corner at Third Street.
They’re gone now, all replaced by the Bank of the West.
Third Street was only three blocks long between Highway 50 and Ruth Avenue. It had no stoplight and did not extend across Highway 50.
This is what Highway 50 near Third Street looks like today. Photo/Bill Kingman
By the 1990s, Third Street had connected left and right: left to Washington Avenue and right across Highway 50 to Barton Avenue, making Third and 50 a major intersection with a traffic signal.
The Richfield gas station of the 1960s now is Brothers Burrito House after many changes, including being a KFC. Between it and the Hill Center today is Accurate TV and Audio, adjacent to the new intersection.
— Bill Kingman
The first person who can tell me here, the original name of Tahoe Keys Blvd will win a freebie into the Lake Tahoe Marathon’s “5K Pumpkin Run” on Saturday Oct 10th.
The Optimist Club has a free Kids Pumpkin Run same day for 5th graders and under at Pope Beach. Costumes encouraged for both runs.
http://www.RunTahoe.com
Coach Wright. First street, I believe, was the original name before it became Tahoe Keys Blvd. If I’m correct please sign over the prize to Lake Tahoe News and Kae can due with it as she wishes. OLS
The top photo doesn’t match.
Then and Now, Hill Center was where the DMV was. I got my first drivers license there for me to drive around town in my 1963 Corvair. The stoplight going in at the corner of 50 and third raised the ire of some in town as Keys Blvd. already had a stoplight just a short distance away.
Just thought you should know, Christy heard that Lake Tahoe Golf Course driving range is open. What a winter, huh? Call 577- 0788 to confirm this rumor Thanks Bill!
Top photo now correct. Thnx, Lou.
OLS is correct, both about “1st Street” and the DMV being in the Hill Center. . .I took my 1st driving test there at 16 — (I already had a car – a’56 Buick I bought from my parents) – but the ‘tester’ took me to Gardner Mountain and up 15th street, where he told me to pull over halfway up – he then had me engage the parking brake (one on the left that had to be pushed down with your foot). . .and FLUNKED ME when the car started rolling backwards down the hill !!
The early lesson on driving a safe car. . .
It was only later, during my run as a Harrah’s Parking Attendant, that I learned that one should never engage a parking brake in Tahoe – it will be Next spring before it thaws loose again. . .