Then and now: Gas stations used to be on nearly every corner
Highway 50-Kingsbury Grade 1963.
Highway 50-Kingsbury Grade 2012. Photos/Bill Kingman
In the early 1960s, there were nearly 50 gas stations on the South Shore. Their original architecture is still evident in many of the current configurations; like Jiffy Lube, Ski Run Liquor, just-new Blue Dog Pizza, Winters Electric, and others.
In the old photo, the Texaco station sits to the left where Dart Liquor is today. Also, notice all the overhead wiring in 1963.
— Bill Kingman
check out eyes of tahoe.com the gassed station page for a look at the past
Humm… No traffic signal light at 50 and Kingsbury in the early 60’s. Guess that eventually turned into a hotbed of vehicle/bicycle/pedestrian accidents.
Tourists and locals if you want to see some great photos of Lake Tahoe landmarks you must go to the local Lake Tahoe Museum
There are movies in the little theater that go back before the 19th century and artifax that date back also to that period It is a must see Museum on high way 50 next to the Senior center
Jack and Barbara
Good advice Jack. It’s a great little museum-and book store!
If you haven’t been, it’s a must see.
I checked out Chief S’s suggested website:
http://www.eyesoftahoe.com/Pages/Gas.html
Wow. 38 or 50…that’s a lot of gas stations. The author of that webpage also noted that it took an hour to get across town back then~ compared to 20 minutes now.
Heavy traffic congestion & so many gas stations. As SLT rebuilds and recovers, I hope traffic planning issues will be resolved…and are successful.
Jack,
Thanks for the info. I’ll make sure to check that out when I’ve got the time.
Even Camp Richardson had a Cheveron Station, so did Zephyr Cove. If you go
to MapofTahoe.com and click on Camp Richarson you can see it. Round Hill had
4 gas stations at one time
MapofTahoe.com at its Cave Rock link has
a picture of Manny’s old diner and he had
a gas station next door.
I miss Manny’s, with his gorilla outside.
Hi Bill,
Thanks for writing that. In the summer of 1970 I worked at the old Texaco gas station across from crecsent v / Raleys for a guy named Gordon Nichols.
Memories of Manny’s come to mind as well… what a character he was, as well as his girlfriend Daisy. A looong time ago Manny had a speaker inside the fiberglass gorilla out front and he would growl into the microphone or make comments to his customers as they pulled up to get gas and maybe a burger at the tiny cafe.
Old Tahoe, what a great place to grow up! Take Care, Old Long Skiis
Old Long Skiis,
New Tahoe ain’t a bad place to grow up either! Not just for the kids that are born here, but for us perpetual kids that moved here in their young adult years and are still growing every day in their fifties!
I LOVE SOUTH LAKE TAHOE OLD AND NEW!
Biggerpicture,
I agree wholeheartedly! I gotta check out the new re-vamped El Dorado Beach. If you see some old guy with a knee brace hobbelin’ around, come and introduce yourself and I’ll buy you a brew!
Take Care, Old Long Skiis
OLD LONG SKIS – Who the heck is this? :-) I worked for Gordon 1968 thru 1971 at station, on Sahara’s limos and on Sahara Tahoe Boat!! On and off since I was in College.
I am ttrent1 at juno dot com
Hi Terry,
Yeah, Gordon was a good guy!I went to STHS with his daughter Sue, she was a few years younger than myself. Me and a friend refinished the teak rear deck of the Sahara boat when it was docked over at Homewood. We screwed that up! I think that was 69 or 70? Then it was hauled out and moved across the street where we worked on stripping the paint and sanding the wood hull. My buddy and I were really inexperienced so we didn’t know what the heck we were doing. The next summer Me and my pal painted Gordon Nichols house, I think it was on Bode Or Anne or one of those streets off Pioneer.
Good Times indeed! Take Care, Old Long Skiis