The early photo is from Dave Borges, while the current photo is from me.

Here is Bijou, on Highway 50 as it appeared circa 1956 (parked blue car at far right appears to be a 1955 Dodge Coronet; the oncoming blue Ford = 1956?).

Bijou is French meaning “jewel” which described its deep white beach before the Tahoe City dam of 1913 raised the lake level, narrowing the beach. The California post office addresses of Bijou, Stateline, Al Tahoe, and Tahoe Valley all became incorporated into the city of South Lake Tahoe in November 1965.

The profile at left of Nay’s Bijou Center 1956 and the CVS of 2013 seems unchanged. Also, the 1956 strip building at right which included Shelley’s Rexall Drugs and Mile High Sporting Goods remains today, now housing Jazz Kat Cafe, Sato’s, Auntie Q’s, and Salon. Just beyond them in 1956 was a parking lot and Nel’s Tahoe Supply, the building now housing Tep’s Villa Roma and Lou Pierini’s Pawn & Gold.

Notice the 1956 overhead power lines, no center lane, no traffic lights, and there was parallel parking on Highway 50.

— Bill Kingman