Random Stories
Roy House
The house at 491 Court Street was built for Roland F. Roy in 1907, the same year that the nearby Nixon Mansion was completed. Newlands Heights was the most exclusive neighborhood in town, a testament to the affluence and prominence of its…
Thompson Building
The Thompson Building was built in 1920 to house the University's teacher training program. A two-story, brick building with a classically-inspired facade, this Georgian-style building was designed by Reno architect Frederic DeLongchamps…
Frandsen Humanities/Agriculture Building
Frandsen Humanities, a two-story, rectangular brick building with a classically-inspired limestone façade, began as the University’s first Agriculture Building. Designed in 1917 by Walter O. Lewis, it was built during an enrollment boom for the…
Chism's Auto Camp
Harry Chism started the Chism's Auto Camp during the summer of 1927 on property his father had acquired in 1880. The property was on the north side of the Truckee River, directly across from Idlewild Park, where the Transcontinental Highway…
Rick's Resort
Rick's Resort was opened around 1909 by Rick DeBernardi, the son of Swiss immigrants, several miles west of Reno on what was then called the Old Verdi Road. In the summer of 1910, the resort shot to fame as the training quarters for prizefighter…
Silver State Lodge (site)
The year 1931 was a pivotal one for Reno's developing tourism industry. That was the year the Nevada legislature legalized wide-opened gambling and lowered the residency requirement for a divorce from three months to six weeks.
That same…
Featured Stories
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…
Moana Springs
In mid-autumn, 1905, as the last bit of concrete was being poured for the Virginia Street Bridge, hundreds of people converged three miles south of town for the grand opening of Moana Springs. Sitting on a portion of the Haines Ranch atop a…
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 built in Reno in the early 20th century. The…
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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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