A colorful history and tips on immersing yourself in its past and present.
The Truckee you see today on your approach to Martis Camp is a far different character than it was 50 years ago. Or 100 years. Or much further back in time, for that matter. The town, an amalgam of ambitious individuals ranging from techies to train folks, entrepreneurs to elite athletes, chefs and teachers to builders and bakers and everyone in between – has slowly transformed itself from colorfully raw to casually refined.
This enclave, tucked into a granite basin at the foot of the Sierra Crest, has a history that’s varied, lively, and largely unknown. Those granite buttresses speak to a time when the area was encased in glaciers, carving out the likes of Donner Lake and many other lakes. That slow grind of ice on earth is evident as you wind your way up Highway 40 toward Donner Pass.
Prehistoric nomads – ancestors of local tribes that include Washoe, Maidu and Paiute – roamed the area and traversed the Sierra in summers, collecting roots and seeds, hunting local game, and fishing the areas many lakes and streams. These people, the first visitors to the area, frequented the lands around Truckee during the Middle Archaic Period and have left behind petroglyphs carved into granite flanks above Donner Lake.
Transition to more modern times and we arrive at how this place earned its name. It was in 1844 when a Paiute guide whose name sounded like Tro-Kay assisted thousands of emigrants en route to California. He’d go on to become a great chief within his tribe and he battled alongside Col. John Fremont in the Mexican War. One of those parties en route to California was the doomed Donner Party that arrived late in 1846. Their ill-fated story is the stuff of legend, a tale well told at the Donner Memorial State Park.
Both the California gold rush that began in 1848 and the discovery of silver at Virginia City in 1859 had a profound influence on the Truckee area. Roads for freight wagons and passenger coaches were built that coursed right through the area. In 1866, Pollard’s Station – the basin’s first white settlement –took shape on the shores and forests lining the west side of Donner Lake. At its peak, the township included two hotels, a general store and a sawmill. Table fare included grouse from nearby forests and hefty fish from the depths of the adjacent lake.
To the east of Donner Lake, at a place where Jiboom and Bridge Streets exist today, two men constructed a toll bridge in a fledgling community that was known at the time as Coburn’s Station, named for a stage operator who had inside knowledge on the upcoming arrival of the railroad, an advancement that would greatly impact the town. It was to be a short-lived designation. In April 1868, the Donner post office was relocated downstream and the up-and-coming town of Coburn’s Station officially became known as Truckee, in honor of the benevolent Indian chief.
By the time the first train roared through Truckee on June 9, 1868, the town had grown to fifty buildings, heavy on the saloons. Construction of the railroad resulted in Truckee being home to the Pacific Coast’s second largest Chinatown, a source of friction that eventually drove the population from Truckee by 1886. In its wake, logging and railroads ruled the economic engine of the area, a trend that stretched well into the 20th century.
In 1915, the first whiff of tourism kicked in as the area developed a huge ice palace for skating and dancing, as well as a toboggan slide and ski jump. Special trains from San Francisco and Sacramento would make frequent excursions to the area and eventually the alpine setting caught the eye of filmmakers and well-known actors of the day, including Charlie Chaplin, were familiar visitors to the streets of Truckee.
The arrival of the 1960 Winter Olympics not only resulted in the construction of I-80 and the Truckee-Tahoe Airport, but it also furthered the Truckee-Tahoe area’s standing as a major winter destination, a reputation that continues to flourish and that has helped launch the careers of athletes drawn to both winter and summer activities. In watching the Olympic Games over the past several decades, it’s not rare to see local Olympians navigating slalom gates, soaring over half-pipe courses, or dashing through the challenges of forested, rock-walled single-track trails.
As Truckee has grown and matured over the years, so, too, has its profile as a tourism destination. The dining scene has blossomed, stores continue to draw shoppers, the bar scene has evolved from raucous booze joints to trendy wine bars and places to sample some of the region’s finest craft beers, and the apres scene is more brilliant than ever.
A few destinations and activities that embrace the charm of yesteryear and the excitement of the moment are listed below, each one playing its part to guarantee the legacy of a history that only gets livelier by the day.
Snowshoeing with a side order of history.
Spend a morning, afternoon or a full day tromping through the wonderland of Donner Memorial State Park and you’ll have a better appreciation for the toils endured by the namesakes of this lake. You can even enroll in a Saturday afternoon snowshoe historical tour. Fortunately, at the end of your snowshoe adventure, you’re privy to the comforts of an evening of fine dining and the remedial effects of a nice, warm hot tub, amenities the pioneers were seriously short on. The best way to enjoy your outing is to start with a tour of the amazing museum on site and by packing a picnic and a thermos of hot cocoa. Time your tour after a fresh snow or a full moon and the scene is nothing short of magic. Expand your horizons to Donner Summit and the Pacific Crest Trail and you’ll discover even wider vistas and a greater sense of solitude.
Hike the train tunnels.
Hikers and curious travelers now travel to those train tunnels where locomotives once chugged their way to the crest of the Sierra above Donner Lake. These snow sheds were built in the 1860s and in use until the 1990s when the grade was re-routed, leaving this slice of history to the enjoyment of the public. You can make the hike as brief or as long as you care, and you can even leash up your canine companions and bring them along. To properly prepare, dress warmly, strap on some sturdy boots (the tunnel floor can be icy and rocky), and pack a flashlight (there are no interior lights) for this unforgettable experience. For parking, drive up Donner Pass Road (Old Hiway 40) and park in the lot just west of Ski Ranch Lane and Sugar Bowl Road. From there, you can access Tunnel #6.
A stroll down main street.
There’s a charm to Truckee’s historical downtown scene that’s made even more magical under a coat of winter. It’s a place where you can dive into the cozy confines of a local coffeeshop and then dash off to stores with an entertaining lineup of goods to choose from, all closely assembled along a street with buildings well over the century mark. And when that cup of coffee has settled, you can wrap up your shopping spree with a glass of wine, a cocktail, or a craft beer at one of many pubs, wine bars and saloons, including the venerable Bar of America, 1882 Bar & Grill, Uncorked Truckee, and Moody’s Bistro & Bar for starters.
Morning temptations. The best bakeries in Truckee.
If you’ve got a big day ahead of you, a day in the mountains or on the slopes or doing anything that gets your pulse racing, then you can easily justify your indulgence in a pastry from one of the many bakeries that rise up in Truckee. There’s Cornerstone Bakery, a favorite of more than a few Martis Camp Realty staffers, as well as Coffeebar Bakery, Whole Treats Bakery & Coffee House and Sierra Bakehouse.
Near. And dear. Grab lunch in Truckee.
One of Truckee’s finest lunchtime scenes also happens to be that one that’s just down the street, right there in the main lobby of the Truckee-Tahoe Airport – Red Truck. This café is a great place to gather up with friends, whether inside or on the patio facing the runway and the Carson Range. The menu ranges from a breakfast lineup that includes a breakfast burrito and breakfast bowl to a lunch with great salad selections, tacos, burritos, gyros, and the ever-popular Naan Sandwich.
End an amazing day with the best restaurants in Truckee.
When the sun sets and the streets are aglow with lamplight, take to that same main street you strolled earlier in the day and you’ll encounter a great assortment of dinner spots, including Pianeta, Moody’s, and Bar of America. Close by are other choices that include Cottonwood with its balcony views of the city, Great Gold, Truckee Brewing Company, and Drunken Monkey with delicious sushi, ramen, and noodle bowls.
Photos courtesy of Truckee Photographer: Paul Hamill Photography
