Tahoe Trout Farm honored by Native Sons of Golden West for 77 years of family fun
Submitted by paula on Sun, 05/28/2023 - 1:54pm
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Since 1946 the Tahoe Trout Farm has been a family-friendly tradition for all ages. For 77 years, locals and visitors have stopped by to catch dinner from one of the two ponds located along Trout Creek that are stocked with catchable Rainbow Trout.
The Native Sons of the Golden West (NSGW) were recently in South Lake Tahoe to present Tahoe Trout Farm owners Jim and Jackie Vallier with a brass plaque commemorating its history. Members of NSGW held their Grand President's Reception at McDuffs Pub before heading over to the trout farm for the historic dedication of the plaque. The group's mission is to preserve the spirit of the "Days of 49" and California history since forming in 1975. NSGW has chapters across the state and a museum at Columbia State Historic Park. There are currently 5,686 members from El Centro to the Oregon state line, and the 147th Grand Parlor is the chapter that came to South Lake Tahoe.
NSGW dedicates historical treasures, and the 147th Grand Parlor has made 1,500 historical dedicates so far with the Tahoe Trout Farm its latest.
Jim bought a large granite rock to have the plaque attached. It will be at the entrance to Tahoe Trout Farm, located at 1021 Blue Lake Avenue, South Lake Tahoe.
The plaque reads:
Tahoe Trout Farm
Originally called Upham's Pond, the Tahoe Trout Farm was founded in 1946 in Johnson Meadow on Trout Creek, a summer fishing, hunting and gathering ground for the Washoe Indians.
The land was purchased in 1860 by the Johnson family for summer grazing of their cattle. In winter the cattle were moved to their Gardnerville, Nevada ranch. In 1872, Mr. Charles Johnson caught a native Lake Tahoe cutthroat trout that tipped the scales at 29 1/2 pounds.
E. J. Vallier, a 5th generation Californian, and his wife, Jacqueline, were customers at the ponds in the 1950s. They purchased Tahoe Trout Farm in 2012.
In 1886, Captain T. J. Vallier, E. J.'s great-grandfather, became the youngest captain of the Bar Pilots Association, and in 1907 he was a charter member of the Pioneers of Alaska, Nome Igloo #1.