Squaw Valley, California (Ski Area Valley)
Encyclopedia
Olympic Valley in the U.S. state
of California
is an unincorporated community
located in Placer County
northwest of Tahoe City
along Highway 89 on the banks of the Truckee River
near Lake Tahoe
. It is the home of the Squaw Valley Ski Resort
, the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics
. It is the smallest place in the world to ever host the Olympic Games.
Mail to Squaw Valley is addressed, "Olympic Valley, CA 96146" to avoid confusion with the census-designated place of the same name in Fresno County.
region. There were rumors that the mine was "salted" with ore brought in from Virginia City
. George Wharton James
, Author of the book "The Lake of the Sky" doubts the mines were "salted" with ore and that the energetic prospector Knox started the mine with good faith. He writes all about the History of the Tahoe Region (pre1915) in many of the chapters of his book. The Squaw Valley Mining boom was short lived and by 1863–64 the valley soon lost almost all of its inhabitants to the Comstock lode
in Virginia City, Nevada
.
By 1942 Wayne Poulsen, a former star skier from the University of Nevada, had acquired 2000 acres (809.4 ha) in Squaw Valley from the Southern Pacific Railroad
. In 1946, Poulsen met Alex Cushing, a Harvard University-trained lawyer, with the political connections and access to capital that would make the resort a success. Shortly before opening in 1949, Poulsen and Cushing had a disagreement over the future of the resort, and eventually Cushing ended up controlling the Squaw Valley Ski Corporation.
Though the 1960 Olympics had practically been promised to Innsbruck
, Austria
, Cushing went to Paris
in 1955 with a scale model of his proposed Olympic site and persuaded the International Olympic Committee
to choose Squaw Valley. It was the first Winter Olympics to be televised live and attracted millions of viewers.
Although the Squaw Valley Ski Resort remains the primary attraction in Olympic Valley, other year-round attractions and businesses have sprung up around the community.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
is an unincorporated community
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
located in Placer County
Placer County, California
Placer County is a county located in both the Sacramento Valley and Sierra Nevada regions of the U.S. state of California, in what is known as the Gold Country. It stretches from the suburbs of Sacramento to Lake Tahoe and the Nevada border. Because of the expansion of the Greater Sacramento,...
northwest of Tahoe City
Tahoe City, California
Tahoe City is an unincorporated community in Placer County, California. Tahoe City is located on Lake Tahoe, southeast of Donner Pass. It lies at an elevation of 6250 feet ....
along Highway 89 on the banks of the Truckee River
Truckee River
The Truckee River is a stream in the U.S. states of California and Nevada. The river is about long. Its endorheic drainage basin is about , of which about are in Nevada. The Truckee is the sole outlet of Lake Tahoe and drains part of the high Sierra Nevada, emptying into Pyramid Lake in the Great...
near Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
. It is the home of the Squaw Valley Ski Resort
Squaw Valley Ski Resort
Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, is one of the largest ski areas in the United States, and was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. It is the second-largest ski area at Lake Tahoe , with 33 chairlifts, and has the only funitel lift in the U.S...
, the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics
1960 Winter Olympics
The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as...
. It is the smallest place in the world to ever host the Olympic Games.
Mail to Squaw Valley is addressed, "Olympic Valley, CA 96146" to avoid confusion with the census-designated place of the same name in Fresno County.
History
Squaw Valley was once a mining boom town and was the biggest mining operations in the Lake TahoeLake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
region. There were rumors that the mine was "salted" with ore brought in from Virginia City
Virginia City
Virginia City is a city located in Storey County, Nevada.Virginia City may also refer to:* Virginia City, Montana* Virginia City, Nevada* Virginia City, Virginia* Virginia City , a 1940 film starring Errol Flynn...
. George Wharton James
George Wharton James
George Wharton James was a prolific popular lecturer and journalist, writing more than 40 books and many articles and pamphlets on California and the American Southwest....
, Author of the book "The Lake of the Sky" doubts the mines were "salted" with ore and that the energetic prospector Knox started the mine with good faith. He writes all about the History of the Tahoe Region (pre1915) in many of the chapters of his book. The Squaw Valley Mining boom was short lived and by 1863–64 the valley soon lost almost all of its inhabitants to the Comstock lode
Comstock Lode
The Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. discovery of silver ore, located under what is now Virginia City, Nevada, on the eastern slope of Mount Davidson, a peak in the Virginia Range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims...
in Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City is a census-designated place that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 855 at the 2010 Census.- History :...
.
By 1942 Wayne Poulsen, a former star skier from the University of Nevada, had acquired 2000 acres (809.4 ha) in Squaw Valley from the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
. In 1946, Poulsen met Alex Cushing, a Harvard University-trained lawyer, with the political connections and access to capital that would make the resort a success. Shortly before opening in 1949, Poulsen and Cushing had a disagreement over the future of the resort, and eventually Cushing ended up controlling the Squaw Valley Ski Corporation.
Though the 1960 Olympics had practically been promised to Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Cushing went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1955 with a scale model of his proposed Olympic site and persuaded the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
to choose Squaw Valley. It was the first Winter Olympics to be televised live and attracted millions of viewers.
Although the Squaw Valley Ski Resort remains the primary attraction in Olympic Valley, other year-round attractions and businesses have sprung up around the community.