Bijou, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bijou
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 Bijou
Location in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | El Dorado County |
| City | South Lake Tahoe |
| Elevation | 6,243 ft (1,903 m) |
Bijou is a special area located in South Lake Tahoe, within El Dorado County, California. It used to be known as Taylors Landing or Taylor's Landing. Bijou sits high up, at about 6,243 feet (1,903 meters) above sea level. This means it's quite a bit higher than many other places!
Discovering Bijou: A Historic Place
Bijou is not a separate town anymore. It is now part of the larger city of South Lake Tahoe. It was once an unincorporated community. This means it was a settlement that didn't have its own local government. Instead, it was managed by the county.
How Bijou Got Its Name
The story of Bijou begins in 1864. A man named Almon M. Taylor founded the area. Because of him, it was first called Taylors Landing.
However, the name changed in 1888. This happened when a post office opened in the community. A post office is where people send and receive mail. With the new post office, the name was changed to Bijou. The post office served the community for many years, finally closing in 1967.
The Lake Valley Railroad
For a time, Bijou was an important stop for a special train line. This was the Lake Valley Railroad. This railroad helped transport goods and people. It started in a place called Meyers. The tracks ran through Lake Valley and ended at a pier in Bijou. A pier is like a dock that extends into the water. This pier was likely used to load or unload things from boats on Lake Tahoe.
