Kings Beach: then and now

1972 vs 2012 · Tahoe Classics

NowThen

Then, 1972A pier and small hut on the north shore in May 1972. The photo is labeled as near Kings Beach.Photo: Belinda Rain (U.S. National Archives) · Public domain · Source · resized

Today, 2012Kings Beach State Recreation Area on August 13, 2012.Photo: U.S. Department of the Interior · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source · resized

The story

The town is named after its first postmaster, Joe King. It sits on the north shore at about 6,444 feet.

The post office was built in 1937. The 2020 census counted 3,563 residents.

Kings Beach is also a place where wildlife and people share space. In 2009 and 2010, beavers were removed from nearby Griff Creek, and local schoolchildren protested.

Did you know? Lake Tahoe is about 22 miles long, up to 12 miles wide, and 1,645 feet deep at its deepest.

Historians argue about this. Our sources do not give an exact founding date for Kings Beach, so we do not claim one.

Fact or tall tale?

SolidKings Beach is named after its first postmaster.
Wikipedia says it is named after its first postmaster, Joe King.
Not trueLake Tahoe is more than 3,000 feet deep.
The maximum depth is 1,645 feet, still the second deepest lake in the U.S.

Sources

More: Look for historic photos at the North Lake Tahoe Historical Society

Stamp it in person

Go there, answer the question that only someone standing at Kings Beach can answer, and add the stamp to your passport. Free, no sign-up.

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Next: Camp Richardson. Written from the cited sources, not yet walked on site unless noted.