Combine all the elements of a thrilling Western tale - Native Americans, the famous Gold Rush, Ladies of the Night, silver barons, gambling, treacherous passes, unbearable winters and tranquil summers, and you have South Lake Tahoe Historic Album, a collection of images that captures our priceless heritage. Lake Tahoe has enjoyed a rich and colorful history that continues to this day.
The purpose of the images is to illuminated the area and its colorful people and depict the changes that occurred in the second half of the 19th Century. In studying our past, we hope to gain insight into our future. The following photographs illustrated the severe and somewhat subtle changes this region has undergone and survived. It is difficult to imagine that this basin was once stripped of all its trees to support the nearby mining industry, only to return as one of the most picturesque spots in the world.