The Washoe Indians called it Tah-ve, an unfathomable liquid sapphire set in a 500-square-mile reservoir of alpine snow and ice. Too deep and vast to freeze, Lake Tahoe's waters have, over time, reflected pristine forests, barren hillsides littered with slash and sawdust, managed restoration, and the glow of neon casino marquees. Its spectacular natural landscape, shared by both California and Nevada, is more designed than people realize. Man transformed most of the old trees into mine shafts and cities. When the railroad, and later the automobile, domesticated the lake, putting it within recreational reach of the middle class, much of Lake Tahoe's shore became a managed wilderness. Its location along a political border created a unique merger of a naturalist and gaming economy.

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Drawing primarily from the collections of the Nevada Historical Society, North Lake Tahoe Historical Society, South Lake Tahoe Historical Society, and Special Collections at the University of Nevada, Goin redefines this faceted jewel, Lake Tahoe, and its special place in our mind's eye.

 

The Images of America series celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the country. Using archival photographs, each title presents the distinctive stories from the past that shape the character of the community today. Arcadia is proud to play a part in the preservation of local heritage, making history available to all.