Van Sickle Bi-State barn to be repainted

This week, the California Tahoe Conservancy will be getting the lead out scraping and painting the historic barn at Van Sickle Bi-State Park.

The park extends from Douglas to El Dorado counties at Lake Tahoe.

It will remain open during the two-week project, but parking will be limited on the California side and the area around the barn will be closed to avoid exposing visitors to the lead.

The Conservancy’s goal will be to remove the paint, while leaving the barn’s 1860s-era barn’s historical integrity.

“To ensure compliance with standards to protect public health and ensure historic preservation, the Conservancy partnered with the California Department of General Services to plan the work,” officials said.

The project will scrape and remove loose paint, remove any dry rot from the barn siding, and encapsulate any remaining lead-based paint with a special primer before repainting the barn.

All other areas of the park will remain open, including restrooms.

The Conservancy co-manages the 725-acre Van Sickle Bi-State Park with Nevada State Parks. The park offers hiking trails and picnic areas, along with the historic Van Sickle ranch barn and cabins.

Named after Genoa pioneer innkeeper Henry Van Sickle, the Nevada side consists of 542 acres donated by Jack Van Sickle in 1988. The State of California purchased the rest of the former Crescent V Ranch

Subsequently, the State of California purchased the adjacent land, the Van Sickle family’s former Crescent V Ranch. The park has been open since 2011.

Visit tahoe.ca.gov/van-sickle-bi-state-park for more information about Van Sickle Bi-State Park.