Random Stories
Southside School Annex
The Southside School Annex was built in 1936 through a grant provided by the Public Works Administration (PWA), one of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal programs initiated during the Great Depression. The Southside School had been built in…
Reid House
In 1901 Hosea Reid became one of the founders of the Gray, Reid & Company dry goods store, along with partner Joseph Gray, whose house is located at 457 Court Street. Their store was originally located at the corner of Second and Virginia…
Western Building
As South Virginia gradually converted into a business corridor, many of its longtime residents began to develop their properties for commercial purposes. Some had their houses demolished and constructed new buildings where they had stood. Others…
Lincoln Hall
Lincoln Hall, a two-and-a-half story brick building named for U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, was built in 1895-96 to serve as a men's residence hall. It replaced the men's Rampasture, which had occupied the top floor of the old wooden…
Benham House
Architect Frederic DeLongchamps designed this home, which was constructed in 1930 for Guy and Emeline Benham. The couple met in Reno, but were not native to the area.
Born on a farm near Cedar Falls, Iowa, Guy Everett Benham moved to Reno in…
Farris Motel
The development of the Farris Motel tells a tale of early automobile tourism and entrepreneurialism along East Fourth Street. The entire area was parceled off as the “Kappler’s Addition” to Reno in 1906, two years after streetcar service had been…
Featured Stories
Reno National Bank
The 1915 Reno National Bank building was designed for George Wingfield by Reno’s pre-eminent architect, Frederic DeLongchamps, to house one of Wingfield's banks, the Reno National Bank. Designed early in DeLongchamps' career, the building…
Piazzo Building
The Piazzo Building at 354 N. Virginia Street, also known as the St. Francis Hotel, embodies the story of Reno in a way that few others could. Contained in one three-story brick structure are the stories of a hardworking immigrant family, the…
Riverside Drive
While only seven blocks long, Riverside Drive is one of the most beloved streets in the city of Reno—and not by accident. Riverside Avenue, as it was first known, was created to be the city’s loveliest boulevard. From its origin in the 1880s,…
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Reno Historical
A project by Historic Reno Preservation SocietyReno Historical is a free mobile app that puts Reno history at your fingertips, allowing you to explore the people, places, and moments that have shaped the city’s history. Learn about the history of Reno through layered, map-based, multimedia presentations, use social media to share your stories, and experience curated historical tours of the city. It is a work in progress, so be sure to check in frequently for new tours and stories.
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