Then and now: Old school building still being used
The original Lake Valley schoolhouse. Photo/Lake Tahoe Historical Society
The Lake Valley schoolhouse was at the Y in South Lake Tahoe until the 1950s when Safeway opened a new supermarket on that site in the building now occupied by TJ Maxx.
Today the building is used by the carpenters union. Photo/Bill Kingman
The old bell is at Tahoe Valley Elementary. Photo/Bill Kingman
The schoolhouse building was picked up and moved to the corner of Young Street and William Avenue behind Ahern Rentals and Chapel of the Bells. It has served as the Carpenters Local 1789 Hall for decades.
The original bell from the Lake Valley schoolhouse belfry is on display in the hallway at Tahoe Valley Elementary School.
— Bill Kingman
Bill Kingman, I didn’t know that building was an old school house at one time. That’s pretty cool! I drive by there all the time and didn’t know the history. Now I do!
I have a question tho. I don’t remember a Safeway at the Y. I recall there being a Cornet variety, (or five and dime as we called them) store there where TJ Maxx is now, along with another Cornet at Bijou. I thought Safeway vacated the old Fremont building, which now is home to Aloha Ice Ceam, Freshies and others, and then they, Safeway, started construction on their current location on Johnson blvd.
Any old timers care to throw out a few memories about this time period? Love the old stories! Thanks Bill. Old Long Skiis
Bill is right on, I went to 5th and 6th grade there around 52 and 53, can’t remember as I am getting to old to remember that far back but Dave Wakeman would know the dates,
I remember Safeway. When they moved out there was speculation that it might become a roller skating rink.
“The Rest of the Story,” as told to me: Someone was asleep at the switch when Safeway’s lease at their early Tahoe Valley “Y” location was up for renewal in the 1960s or early 1970s. Safeway missed that renewal date, thus Raley’s across the street promptly grabbed the lease and sublet the building to non-competitors. Goodbye to the Safeway “Y” store, now TJ Maxx, but the typical Safeway architecture is apparent.
Makes a good story, and I hope accurate.
BTW, the original Bijou Safeway became “The Fun House_ and later the Fremont Mall (now Freshies, etc.); then a new Safeway was built on the slope parallel to Takela, later razed and replaced by the current superstore on that site.
Safeway wasn’t the only one, apparently, that was asleep at the switch. The City of SLT had the same problem with the old City building, failed to continue the excellent lease it had.
Bill Kingman, You’re correct about the old Safeway building becoming the Fun house, which is now called the Fremont Mall.
But now to test some old timers memories. What was that rock and roll place called orignally (1967 ?) and who was the local musician that owned it later as the name changed to the Fun House? Anybody? OLS