Then and now: Tahoe City didn’t always have a dam
This hand-tinted photo postcard (courtesy of Theresa and Darrell Eymann) was postmarked Sept. 9, 1908, as “TAHOE, CAL” and mailed to Richmond, Calif. It depicts the source of the Truckee River at Tahoe City.
1908 was five years before the Tahoe City Dam was built to control the top 6 feet of Lake Tahoe’s surface elevation and the flow into the Truckee River.
For comparison, 105 years later, the second photo was taken in April 2013 standing on the dam.
The third photo, also one I took, shows the 100-year-old dam between Fanny Bridge on the Truckee River and the lake outlet.
— Bill Kingman
Thanks for submitting this to the News. I’d like to see more historic photos like this .
That is soooooo cool! Thanks! I love looking at these
Bill your great, thanks for the photos, so neat to see the changes around the lake.
Bill, Excellent photo of pre-dam Truckee river! A big thank you to Theresa and Daryll Eymann for letting Mr. Kingman use it for “Then and now”.
I’m overdue for a trip to North Shore and these photos are more than enough to get me goin’ for a drive.
Homwood,(O.K. thats’s on west shore but I love that place), Tahoe city, Crystal bay, Sand Harbor…see you soon. Old long Skiis
Come to the Lake Tahoe Museum (3058 LT Blvd) and see the hundreds of historic photos we have! Our collection is always growing. On Memorial Day, we start summer hours.. 11am-3pm Wed-Sun or by appointment 530-541-5458.
The dam was built to grow strawberries in the desert. It’s the largest contributor to the decline of lake clarity, and should it be removed there would be more beach for everyone.
” It’s the largest contributor to the decline of lake clarity”
Lou, you’ve really outdone yourself in the BS department.
What is then?
Do your own homework, jock.