History of Tahoe Meadows and the Starkweather Cabin
Tahoe Meadows
Tahoe Meadows is the magic place at Tahoe, a
100-acre private reserve located on South Shore located at the foot of Heavenly
Valley and along the Lake. It was founded as an environmental retreat by Berkeley
professors in the 1920's. In the mid-1990's, the Nature Conservancy bought up our
frontage along Highway 50, and transformed it with a beautiful wrought-iron and
redwood post fence with electronic gated opening, harmonizing lighting, and landscaping
along the newly adjacent bike/walk trail. My property is conveniently located just
inside the fence for easy access to shops, restaurants, and the Heavenly Ski Gondola.
My cabin is a short 5 minute walk to our one-mile private beach.
Tahoe Meadows has now transcended into a "Gated Community" of the 21st Century,
while retaining its traditional open-space development and wooded private community origins.
Please see the Tahoe Meadows website for more information and photos of the area:
TahoeMeadows.org.
Major South Shore Redevelopment has transformed this oasis of "old Tahoe"
into the "In Place." Property values have dramatically escalated with
the grandiose Marriott time share development across the street, including the new
Heavenly Valley gondola and the high-end stores and restaurants. The cabin is ideally
situated below Heavenly Valley between Ski Run and Pioneer Trail, with the local
shuttle right outside the fence; and within walking distance of the casinos, the
gondola, the shops, restaurants, the espresso bar, sushi bar, and Raley's supermarket.
Growing Up in Tahoe Meadows
I and many other Bay Area folks were raised in the woods in the bunks and under
the stars at Tahoe Meadows, where we could roam free on our bikes as kids, and meet
up with the same families year after year. Yes, the Lake is still clear as a bell,
helped out in part by the rustic environment kept at Tahoe Meadows, not overbuilt
like Tahoe Keys which has the polluted water with the reeds growing up in it.
As kids we
didn't hunt the moonstones, but we dragged our magnets through the sand and piled
up the iron filings in the places where black sand can be found. And yes, the snowy
cross of Mt. Tallac can be seen from our one-mile private beach.
Most of the owners are original owners, of the 100 cabins on 100 acres. The grandchildren
and great grandchildren of the owners now run the places. Some owners rent, but
fewer and fewer. And the ones who do rent usually have "the regulars"
who come every year at the same time.
Tahoe Meadows is so fun, with little ones each and every subsequent year. Every
one to two-year-old tries softball ("family softball") which is played
3 times a week in the summer, and crafts, and on special days like Tahoe Meadows
Day around August 20, bike parade decorations, sand castle competitions, etc. All
low stress.
The New Cabin
I
was lucky enough in 1995 to realize my lifelong dream of a cabin in Tahoe Meadows:
a small rustic historic structure with no foundation and a sinking in roof. After
a ragged winter where the water heater blew up and blew a hole through the roof,
the cabin was deemed a structural loss and had to be demolished. In 2003, I completed
construction on a new 1500 square foot structure and moved in that July. I prefer
not to rent, but am forced to due to the high construction costs. I hope to get
my own group of regulars who love and cherish this place as I do and who will take
great care of my new building.