Random Stories
Barnes Radio Service
James A. Barnes was a true Reno radio pioneer. His lifelong passion began as a hobby during World War I, as he learned to assemble kit radios he had ordered from magazines. By the early 1920s, he was selling a few radio sets out of his garage and his…
Steinmiller/Parsons House
According to George Steinmiller’s granddaughter Alice Parsons, “He wanted to be a big fish in a little pond. That is why he came to Reno from Sacramento.” George Steinmiller practiced dentistry in Reno for fifty years. He and his wife Alice…
Fulton Alley
Much of the length of Fulton Alley remains. Harking back to the way Reno alleys were originally used, Fulton is the only one that still has entrances to businesses that front on Virginia Street. Step through an alley entrance into the Little Nugget…
Gibbons/McCarran House
The Gibbons/McCarran House, often called the McCarran Mansion, sits prominently on Arlington Avenue and serves as a gateway to a row of fine homes along Court Street. A long-time myth about the house takes us back to Hollywood screen stars and the…
B.D. Billinghurst House
Reno’s longtime superintendent of schools, Benson Dillon Billinghurst, built this lovely bungalow around 1910. It sat across the street from the Orvis Ring Grammar School, one of four Mission-style schools built between 1909 and 1912 that reflected…
St. Thomas Aquinas School
The parochial grade school at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church was built in 1931, the year Reno was designated its own Diocese and the church was upgraded to a Cathedral. The school and a possible new parish house had been under consideration in…
Featured Stories
McKinley Park School
Designed by the local architect George Ferris in 1909, the McKinley Park School was the first to be constructed of the so-called "Spanish Quartet," four single-story Mission Revival style schools…
A.T. Donnels House
From 1900 to about 1913, Albert T. and Christine Donnels and their son Albert Jr. lived in the Queen Anne house at 815 N. Center. Donnels and his partner Theodore Steinmetz had established a…
Douglas Alley
The Douglas Alley of today is just a shadow of what it was in its heyday. Running parallel to Commercial Row, the alley once ran east from Peavine (now Evans) Street to West Street. Over time, the…
Take a Tour
Schools and Education
13 Locations ~ Curated by The Reno Historical TeamMansions on the Bluff
20 Locations ~ Curated by Donna and Paul Erickson/Historic Reno Preservation SocietyHistoric Riverfront Walking Tour
15 Locations ~ Curated by The Reno Historical TeamSacred Landmarks
5 Locations ~ Curated by The Reno Historical TeamHistoric University Gateway
12 Locations ~ Curated by Debbie HinmanReno Historical
A project by Special Collections, University of Nevada, Reno LibrariesReno 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. Read more About Us