Tahoe City Begins, 1860 to 1895

Tahoe City Begins, 1860 to 1895. A Town of 25 Takes Shape. Most folks traveling to Tahoe City in the 1800s arrived by stagecoach from Truckee. By 1868, 25 people called Tahoe City home., Some harvested hay on what is now Tahoe City’s Golf Course, some worked as fishermen on Lake Tahoe. Others found employment in the rapidly developing timber industry that supported the Virginia City silver mines. The Union Army needed silver during the Civil War., The first post office opened in 1871, as did the new, opulent Grand Central Hotel. This put Tahoe City on the map. The stagecoach used the toll road connecting Tahoe City and Truckee. You could visit the Custom House Saloon on the end of the 100-foot-long Tahoe City pier. From there you could hop on the steamer, Tod Goodwin, for a trip to other points around Lake Tahoe., Sadly, a fire destroyed the Grand Central in 1895., Notable People , A.J. Bayley - Proprietor of Grand Central Hotel . Sam Bethell - Surveyed Tahoe City townsite . William "Bill" Boyle - Commercial fisherman . Joseph B. Campbell - Saloon keeper (Custom House) and Postmaster . John C. Chesrown - Built first pier and Custom House Saloon . John Huntington - Builder of toll road to Truckee . Manuel J. King - Built Tahoe City Hotel, became Grand Central Hotel . William Pomin - Owner of Tahoe House Hotel and Saloon . Joseph A. Todman - Captain of Steamer Tod Goodwin . Wert Tong - Proprietor of first meat market . Col. Alexis Von Schmidt - Built first dams on Truckee River