Opinion: We need to keep historical buildings for future generations

As I sat on the lawn in front of the historical Dangberg Ranch on Sunday, I smiled and imagined that South Lake Tahoe could have such a place.

The house that stands at the Dangberg Ranch, which is adjacent to the Park Ranch on Hwy 89 just north of Mottsville Lane, was home to a family that played an important role in the growth and shaping of the Carson Valley. They founded Minden, NV and established many businesses in the areas of banking, farming and a hotel. Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park preserves this essential chapter in Nevada’s history.

The ranch was close to being sold and destroyed but a group of caring and concerned citizens got together and saved it, and now families, locals and visitors alike can enjoy it and the surrounding park lands.

Wouldn't it be nice if the W.D. Barton Ranch Complex located at the "Y" in South Lake Tahoe could also be saved? The Bartons and their extended family played a large part in the formation of the South Shore and it would be great to pass on this visual history to future generations.

There is a hearing at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) on Monday at 2 p.m. that is going to decide the future of the farmhouse and surrounding nine buildings. The family wants them torn down. Many people who treasure the history of South Lake Tahoe want them to be saved.

As I give walking historical tours of the Al Tahoe neighborhood, my talk is full of "this used to be here" and "the hotel used to stand there." Wouldn't it be nice to be able to show the Barton Ranch off and not let it become another "this used to be here?"

In documents posted on the hearing agenda, TRPA staff is recommending approval of the demolition project. The four-acre ranch contains 40,746 square feet of existing coverage and four residential units of use. Two buildings were destroyed in 2009 and that coverage is banked for future use.

The Lake Tahoe Historical Society would love to have the ranch complex saved. A national non-profit group has contacted them to see how the buildings can be saved and how they can help. Since the land and buildings are not for sale, this has posed a problem. The Historical Society doesn't have the funds for a large project, but the non-profit group does and fundraising efforts could easily surround a project such as this.

There are several ideas being passed around. Why not relocate some of the ranch to place where they can be remodeled and opened to the public? Why not leave some on the current plot of land and create a retail areas around them?

I grew up in Fremont, CA. The Chadbourne Carriage House was a Victorian house built in the 1870s to house Thomas Jefferson Chadbourne's racing and stock horses in style. When his land was sold in 1963 to become a shopping center, one acre was set aside for the 2,456 square foot Carriage House. It was restored and preserved by citizens.

Why couldn't that work in South Lake Tahoe?

I understand that everyone has a right to do what they want with their private property, but as one of the last symbols of our past it would be beneficial to preserve the Barton Ranch Complex, in one way or another.

Should they approve the ranch destruction, TRPA staff is requiring the owners of the property to follow a set of requirements prior to doing so. They need to document all of the buildings with photos and stories that will be kept at the library and museum. They need to provide oral family stories as well as a few other things including signage on the site after the buildings are destroyed.

While this is all nice, it would be even nicer to have an actual building to experience. If someone were able to move it, this could be just as nice as the Dangberg Ranch. It could even become revenue generating like the Chadbourne Carriage House with weddings and special events.

The public is invited to attend the 2 p.m. hearing at the TRPA offices on Market Street off Kingsbury Grade.

Let's not let the W.D Barton Ranch Complex become another "this used to be here."