Tree Ring Project unveiled in South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The first of six history tree rings was unveiled at South Lake Tahoe City Hall on Tuesday. The tree was estimated to be alive from 1844 to 2017, so dates important in the history of the area are identified on the rings of the tree. It is hanging on the wall in the lobby of the Lake Tahoe Airport for all to experience.

The Tree Ring Project is a joint effort between the South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce, Kenny Curtzwiler from K&K Services, the Lake Tahoe Historical Society, and the City of South Lake Tahoe.

The tree was a seedling in 1844, the year John C. Fremont first saw Lake Tahoe, being the first explorer to place the lake on a map. It lived through the clear-cutting of Tahoe that occurred after the Comstock Lode was discovered in Virginia City in 1859 (most likely was too small to be deemed valuable at the time). It lived through the Roaring 20s, the creation of the City of South Lake Tahoe in 1965 (as well as El Dorado County in 1850), and the Angora Fire. It was around before electricity and the internet. For a full list of dates highlighted on the tree ring, visit the Historical Society's webpage dedicated to the tree HERE.

Curtzwiler got the tree from Ed Cook, he cut it up into slabs, Colby Albino of Log Works sanded it down and put on protective coatings, then the Historical Society created a list of dates to highlight the tree rings, the South Tahoe Chamber funded the project and made a legend that is placed next to the tree, and the City provided the wall space. The legend also has on it a QR code to lead viewers directly to the webpage. The tree ring can be viewed during all open hours of the airport lobby.