Historic Reno Preservation Society’s free Second Sunday programs offer topics related to Reno and Nevada history.

Whether you call it Lake Tahoe, Lake Bigler or the Lake of the Sky, it is one of America’s scenic and historical gems. When people visit this wonderful lake shared by California and Nevada, many have no idea of the rich history that surrounds them from the logging of its forests to support the mines in Virginia City, to the mansions built along its shore by the rich to the steamboat that sailed its waters and the roads and railroads that brought people from all over to savor all that Lake Tahoe had to offer. Jim Bonar will take us on a trip around the lake in the early 20th century and share a collection of old photos and videos of the lake and some little-known tidbits.

Historian Jim Bonar is a retired high school teacher, ending his career as a math teacher at Sparks High School. He became interested in roads as a child in Green River, Wyoming, while watching the traffic passing through town on U.S. Highway 30. This encouraged him to study and research many western events. Jim is director and past president of the Nevada chapter of the Lincoln Highway Association. He became interested in the Western trail’s movement while studying his family history. His great-great grandfather was one of the first men to bring emigrants to the new settlement of Salt Lake City. He is a member of many local and state historical societies. He gives presentations and tours on Western many historical topics.