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Tahoe Truckee Region History Articles



Tahoe Weekly turns 40

Tahoe Weekly turns 40 Feb. 18 marked Tahoe Weekly’s 40th anniversary and I’m glad we’re able to celebrate this milestone. There were many, many times during the pandemic that I thought we wouldn’t survive the ups and downs of lockdowns, …

1982-2022: Tahoe Weekly celebrates 40th anniversary

On Feb. 18, 1982, David Mogilefsky published the first edition of “North Tahoe Week” featuring a photograph by Vance Fox of a skier cliff jumping near the horse trails in Olympic Valley. Our cover for this 40th anniversary edition is …

Image caption: Legally betting on football and other sports is possible thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court.
How California Became the ‘Holy Grail’ for the Sports Betting Industry

How a controversial U.S. Supreme Court ruling created a national, legal sports gambling industry which now sees California as its own 'Holy Grail.'

Image caption: Betting on sporting events such as the Super Bowl may soon be legal in California.
California’s Four Sports Betting Initiatives

In 2022, California voters may see as many as four ballot initiatives to make betting on sporting events legal. Here’s how they would change sports gambling, and who's behind each separate measure.

Image caption: Over two weekends last October, residents of Santa Cruz and Watsonville  participated in demonstration rides aboard an electric streetcar on rails.
The ‘Rail Trail’ Movement, Explained

Thousands of miles of railroad track, including some in Santa Cruz County, now sit idle. The fate of those largely abandoned tracks has become a burning controversy.

Sierra pummeled, shutdown by brutal 1952 snow

Overwhelming snowfall during January 1952 crushed the life out of the Tahoe Sierra. Thousands of residents, skiers and travelers were stranded at resorts, maintenance stations and in snowbound communities. Virtually all primary and secondary mountain roads were impassable and manned …

In the footsteps of history: Donner Relief Expedition retraces 1847 route

Today when people think of the 1846 Donner Party and the Sierra entrapment, they think of the numerous mistakes the members made including starting too late, banning some key members, taking too many wrong turns hoping to shorten the trip …

Homewood celebrates 60th anniversary

By Jenn Sheridan | Courtesy Homewood Mountain Resort Lake Tahoe, including the West Shore, was the summer and fall home to the Washoe for many centuries before non-Native Americans even knew it existed. However, things changed quickly during the mid-1800s. …

Image caption: Sheriffs are supposed to stand for ’law and order,’ but some believe they are a law unto themselves.
Right-Wing Extremism Among County Sheriffs, Explained

Sheriffs in some California counties and across the USA are engaging a dangerous movement toward right-wing extremism. What does this mean for local law enforcement?

Image caption: California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger.
Leondra Kruger of California: Possible Biden SCOTUS Pick

California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger, 45, reported to be high on Pres. Joe Biden’s list for a U.S. Supreme Court nomination, is known for her cautious, moderate legal opinions.

Rescuers reach “City of San Francisco” entombed on Donner Summit

Read Part I and Part II Even after 70 years, when it comes to blockbuster winters remembered for sheer impact, 1951-52 is still the one to beat. Potent storms pummeled the Tahoe Sierra with 68 feet of total snowfall measured …

15th Annual Kids’ Ultimate Tahoe Winter Bucket List | 2022

Tahoe is packed with family fun outings, outdoor adventures to enjoy with the kids, places to take the kids to enjoy local history, and scores of events and live music. But if you don’t read every edition of Tahoe Weekly …

The Brutal Winter of 1951-52, Part II

Even after 70 years, when it comes to blockbuster winters remembered for sheer impact, 1951-1952 is still the one to beat. For weeks potent storms pummeled the Tahoe Sierra. Southern Pacific Railroad measured 68 feet total snowfall that season. It …

Homewood releases anniversary film

Homewood Mountain Resort has released a short film in honor of its 60th anniversary season. The film, along with its Homewood History project, are available online for free. | skihomewood.com.

Image caption: New Year's Day has been a time for celebration for at least 4,000 years.
Happy New Year, Explained

New Year's celebrations have been around as long as civilization itself. Here's how they started and how California marks the New Year today.

The Brutal Winter of 1951-52, Part I

Even after 70 years, the winter of 1951-52 is remembered as one of the most brutal in its impact on the Tahoe Sierra. The 812 inches of snow — 67.7 feet — measured near Donner Pass that season ranks No. …

Image caption: Why are homicides on the rise in California? There are several plausible theories.
What Drove Homicide Rates Up?

California homicide spiked by 31 percent in 2020. The shocking increase has continued into 2021. Here are several theories that attempt to explain the state’s suddenly rising murder rate.

Image caption: California continues to work on legislation that would make voting easier.
Voting Rites

California keeps on taking legislative steps that will keep it ranked in the top 10 of voter-friendly states.

Charlie Stanton: Unsung Hero of the Donner Party

Charles Tyler Stanton was an unlikely hero in the saga of the Donner Party. Stanton had brown eyes, a full beard and was blessed with a strong constitution, but in stature he stood just 5 feet, 5 inches in his …

Martin Hollay: Centenarian recalls a life on skis

By DAVID ANTONUCCCI A diminutive fit man with a mischievous grin and a shock of wavy gray hair carefully leans his skis against the garage wall, satisfied that he once again achieved 100 days on the slopes. While 100 days …

Featured

The Pioneer Monument at Donner Pass marks a museum and state park dedicated to the emigrants who crossed the Sierra Nevada.
A Quick Pass Through Nevada County’s Past
History museums, historical societies, and odd facts about Nevada County’s residents.
The Man Lee and Wah Hop stores at the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historical Site are all that remains of Coloma’s Chinatown.
Excavating the Past
The Gold Rush runs through the veins of El Dorado County, especially in these historic landmarks.
Old Sacramento Historic District Sacramento is an open-air museum of historic buildings.
Capital Collections
Sacramento’s rich past can be explored by visiting its many and varied historical museums.
Access to abortion in California is limited in many areas, though state laws protect a woman’s right to choose.
Abortion Rights in California, Explained
But even in California, access to abortion services in many areas remains limited.
California continues to work on legislation that would make voting easier.
Voting Rites
And more bills are on the way to help you make your mark on Election Day.
Over two weekends last October, residents of Santa Cruz and Watsonville  participated in demonstration rides aboard an electric streetcar on rails.
The ‘Rail Trail’ Movement, Explained
The heated controversy over what to do with abandoned railroad tracks
California transportation history runs from railroads to today’s car culture.
California’s History of Transportation: From Railroads to Highways
The history of transportation in California has shaped the state, from the earliest stagecoach to today’s car culture.
The California mental health crisis is tied to both homelessness and rising crime.
UPDATE: California’s Mental Health Crisis: How We Got Here
The making of Gov. Newsom's plan to help get mentally ill Californians into treatment.
Like ripples in a pond, the hip impulse moved through Santa Cruz and beyond, and continues across generations.
How Did Santa Cruz Get So Hip?
Looking back at the Sixties and Seventies in America's Hippest Little City.
Moss Landing in Monterey Bay is the world’s largest battery storage facility for solar and other renewable energy.
Solar Power and California’s Clean Energy Goals
How the sun is helping push the state toward 100 percent renewable energy.
From nitrates to arsenic to “forever chemicals,” California’s water supply faces a serious pollution threat.
Dirty Water: California Faces a Water Contamination Crisis
In a state that declares water a “human right,” more than 2 percent of its residents have no drinkable water.
The California Supreme Court has defined the state’s legal and political agenda for more than 170 years.
How the California Supreme Court Blazes Legal Trails
From its beginnings in the Gold Rush, the state Supreme Court continues to define the state today.
Among the events commemorated by E Clampus Vitus is the founding of the group’s first California chapter.
Atlas Absurdum
More than 1,400 markers across the state point the way to the past.
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Since the Gold Rush era, land reclamation has cost California 90 percent of its wetlands.
How Land Reclamation Hurts California’s Environment
The hidden price tag of “reclaiming” swamps and marshes as usable land.
Translated from the Greek, “Democracy” means “people power.” How much power do the people have in California?
People Power! What Is Democracy, and How Does It Work in California?
The Goddess of Democracy is alive and well in California, but that hasn’t always been true.
The Baldwin Hills area in South Los Angeles is one region where a state conservancy would keep open land accessible to the public.
California’s 10 State Conservancies: How They Protect Parks and Open Land
Starting in 1976, the legislature began creating agencies to buy up open land, and keep it open.
The 1965 law known as the Williamson Act has been responsible for keeping about half of California's farmland out of the hands of developers.
The Williamson Act: How the Law That Protects California’s Farmland Works
More than half of California farmland is under contracts that prevent its development.