1955 Map of Emerald Bay

About this map

Vikingsholm stands as a focal point along the granite-lined shores of Emerald Bay in this mid-1950s survey of Lake Tahoe’s southwestern corner. The map captures the region’s development as a premier recreation destination, balancing protected lands like D L Bliss State Park and Emerald Bay State Park with growing lakeside settlements. Significant elevations such as Mt Tallac and Cathedral Peak tower over the deep basins of Fallen Leaf Lake and Cascade Lake. Human activity is centered around the Tahoe Valley corridor and the established grounds of Camp Richardson. Local history researchers will find the precise placement of landmarks like the Bay View Guard Station, Angora Lookout, and the historic Glen Alpine Spring valuable for documenting the evolution of forest service infrastructure and early mountain resorts before later development altered the landscape.