1951 South Lake Tahoe
Photo/ Lake Tahoe Historical Society

In 1951, Cecil’s Market (with the parked cars) was directly across the street from the “Flying A” gas station (left) on the two-lane Highway 50 at Stateline.

Today, that gas station is Tahoe Tom’s.

The historic Cecil’s remained until about 2000, replaced by the Park Avenue Project as seen in the 2011 aerial photo. Only the Tahoe Tom’s gas station still exists over these 60 years.

Also at left in 1951, below the gas station, was a quonset hut (looks long and white at the left margin) which was the Lakeside Theatre, owned and operated there from the 1940s to 1962 by (Judge) Rudy and Jeannie Buchanan. It stood where the Park Tahoe Inn is now on Highway 50. The small road between the gas station and movie theater has become today’s Park Avenue.

Below Cecil’s Market was a long driveway with vertical markers (going to the right margin).

2011/Google Earth

Those markers actually were yellow illuminated driveway lanterns guiding customers to the original Tahoe Drive-In Theatre, owned and operated there from the 1940s to 1955 by Steve Myers in a pasture on the Van Sickle Stateline Stables property. It was approximately where the Heavenly Village Cinema is today. That driveway eventually became more of Park Avenue and now is named Heavenly Village Way.

Notice the private residences on Highway 50 at Stateline in the 1950s where today it is totally commercial.

The Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum has an extremely clear enlargement of the 1951 aerial photo for free viewing, open Saturdays 11am-3pm.

— Bill Kingman

April is National Distracted Driving Month and the Nevada Highway Patrol will be implementing a zero-tolerance enforcement period April 22-26.

Troopers around the Silver State continue to observe motorists texting, talking, and reading non-voice communications despite the fact this behavior became illegal more than 15 months ago.

In 2012, the Nevada Highway Patrol issued 12,275 citations statewide to motorists observed breaking this law. The enforcement activity for the first quarter of 2013 appears to be similar to last year’s statistics’ 2,851 citations have already been issued statewide during the first three months of this year.

Caltrans is alerting motorists to expect some short delays this weekend on Highway 89 on the West Shore for utility relocation work.

Caltrans granted a request by a contractor for Southwest Gas to continue work this weekend from Pine Street in Tahoma to Grimsel Pass Road in the Tahoe Pines area in order to stay on schedule with the project. The work is scheduled to go on around the clock.

Motorists can expect delays of about 5 minutes in one-way traffic control areas.

• Live at Lakeview concerts return to South Lake Tahoe starting June 20. The 4:30-9pm free concerts will run through Aug. 29, but not on July 4.

• Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe in Incline Village has hired Carrie Clay as the general manager at the award-winning Lone Eagle Grille.

• Gary Romano’s “Why I Farm: Risking It All for a Life on the Land” will be released June 6. The release party is that night from 6-7 at Campo in Reno. Find out more about Roman and the book online — including purchasing the book. This is the latest book from Bona Fide Books in Meyers.

• Tahoe Donner anticipates opening the golf course May 24.

• Squaw, Kirkwood and Mt. Rose ski resorts will close April 21, and Alpine on April 28.

Tired of your wardrobe?

What is being billed as the biggest, baddest, best clothing swap in Tahoe is just around the corner.

The All Tahoe Clothing Swap at the American Legion in South Lake Tahoe is May 1 starting at 6:30pm.

The event is open to anyone and everyone.

Clothing donations will be accepted at Pearl Izumi in the Factory Outlets at the Y until April 26.

Entrance fee for the All Tahoe Clothing Swap is a canned or non-perishable food item for Christmas Cheer. Attendees do not need to donate clothing to attend, though it’s encouraged.

The event is the brainchild of the Girls Drinking Club social group, a group of local professional women who are collectively tired of their wardrobes.

More information may be found by contacting jenngleckman@gmail.com or going online.

• South Lake Tahoe is participating with much of the rest of the nation in honoring President Obama’s proclamation to lower flags to half staff until dusk April 20 in honor of the victims of the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings.

• Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Granite Bay, will participate in two events in Truckee on May 2. At noon he will speak at the Truckee Rotary Club lunch at the Truckee Recreational Center, 8924 Donner Pass Road. At 6pm he will have a town hall meeting at the Truckee Tahoe Airport Community Room, 10356 Truckee Airport Road.

• Starting June 6 there will be direct service on Allegiant between Reno-Tahoe International Airport and Bellingham, Wash.

• Meet at South Shore Bikes at the Y in South Lake Tahoe and then pedal to Mo’s Place on May 16 starting at 4pm. The spirit bike parade is put on the Slowrollers Bike Club. (Last year’s event did not set a Guinness World Record because cyclists could not stay in a straight line.)

• As the official training destination of Ironman for the Western United States, Squaw Valley will host official Ironman training weekends throughout the summer.

The Douglas County Public Library Lake Tahoe branch will be open from 9am-noon April 25.

The Minden Library is hosting an open house and fundraiser from 3:30 to 5:30pm that day.

The Zephyr Cove library will reopen April 26 at 9am.

For more info, call (775) 588.6411.

• Blue Angel Café in South Lake Tahoe is celebrating its 10th anniversary. There’s a party April 19 from 7-10pm.

• Minden-based International Network in Advance Gaming is now a member of the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers.

• The Friday Evening Farmers Market at Kahle Community Park in Stateline starts May 3. The market is open from 4-7pm every Friday through Oct. 25.

• Tahoe Youth & Family Services has started a mentoring program in the Minden-Gardnerville area. For more info, call (775) 782.4202.

• Elegant Evening is April 20 from 5:30-10:30pm at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. Proceeds benefit Soroptimist International Tahoe Sierra. Tickets are $50. For more info, email sitahoesierra@gmail.com.

Tahoe Rim Trail Association is putting on a Trail Talk on April 23 from 11:30am-1pm for people to learn about the 165-mile trail.

The free event is at Explore Tahoe: An Urban Trailhead, 4114 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe.

Sign up by calling (775) 298.0235.

A Math and Science Career Day for girls in grades 6-10 is April 20 at Lake Tahoe Community College from 9am-3pm.

The free event is hosted by LTCC and the American Association of University Women.

This conference will feature workshops by local women with backgrounds in math and science. The keynote speaker will be LTCC President Kindred Murillo.

The conference includes hands-on learning and real-life connections to careers in math and science.

Lunch is provided free to all attendees.

Sign up by contacting Bev Palley at (530) 544.2724 or bpalley@sbcglobal.net.