Filed Under Gambling

Douglas Alley

Once called the “busiest little street in the Biggest Little City," the alley blazed with signs and activity.

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 development of large casinos reduced it to its current single block, between Sierra and Virginia Streets. Douglas was the most famous of Reno’s alleys, sometimes called the “busiest little street in the Biggest Little City.” The Alley’s name, along with Lincoln Alley (see separate entry), reportedly came from the Lincoln-Douglas debate.

From Reno’s earliest days, Douglas Alley was infamously known for its robberies, wandering ladies of the night and carjackings. The Great Fire of 1879, which killed six people and destroyed many downtown businesses, began on this alley. During Prohibition, it was known as “Bottle Alley” for its reputation as a haven for moonshiners and speakeasies. Many famous clubs lined the alley, including Harrah’s Plaza Tango, Reno Casino, Wine House, Bank Club and Harolds Club. From 1948-1968, the Harlem Club operated on East Douglas, then considered the skid row of Reno. The Harlem Club was mostly patronized by African-Americans and was opened by William Bailey, cousin to Pearl Bailey who sometimes performed there. Despite headliners like Sammy Davis, Louis Armstrong and BB King, the Harlem Club developed a reputation as a rough place with frequent fights and was off limits to military personnel. Bailey even got shot while dealing craps.

West Douglas also was a rough place. Most famously, on June 4, 1931 at the Haymarket Club, local gaming and vice kingpin Bill J. Graham tangled with a gambler named Blackie McCracken. When McCracken pulled a gun and got off one shot before his gun jammed, Graham returned fire and killed him. Graham was exonerated.

All types of gimmicks and cleanup occurred on East Douglas and Lincoln Alleys but one of the most famous was when it was literally paved in gold. In 1949 the Reno Jaycees covered the Alleys with 110 tons of gold ore from the Occidental Mine in Silver City, mixed into the concrete. A weekend of festivities followed, with the Jaycees trimming the Alleys with two tons of bunting, 500 torches, and celebrities from Hollywood.

These golden alleys were replaced later by a brightly colored, swirl-patterned terrazzo, and in 1973, the swirls were replaced with a gold-colored concrete. As the sparkle of real gold faded, so did an exciting piece of Reno’s past.

Images

Clubs, Casinos, and Cafes, 1940s
Clubs, Casinos, and Cafes, 1940s Looking east from Virginia Street toward Center Street, Douglas Alley in the 1940s beckoned the pedestrian with a profusion of vibrant neon signs. Source: Special Collections, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries Date: 1940s
Douglas Alley ca. 1911
Douglas Alley ca. 1911 Just after 1910, Douglas Alley was lined with rear entrances to many businesses including the Bismarck Cafe, which was located on Commercial Row between Sierra and Virginia Streets, offering a "Merchants Lunch" for fifteen cents. Source: Special Collections, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries Date: ca. 1911
Promenade, 1940s
Promenade, 1940s In the 1940s, Douglass Alley between Virginia and Center Streets was a respectable thoroughfare with entrances to eateries like the Washoe Cafe and the Bank Cafe. Source: Neal Cobb Date: 1940s
Golden Hotel fire, 1962
Golden Hotel fire, 1962 Workers evacuate slot machines to Douglas Alley on April 3, 1962, when fire engulfed the Golden Hotel, then located at 219 North Center Street. The hotel was completely destroyed. Source: Nevada Historical Society Date: 1962
A diminished role, 2002
A diminished role, 2002 By 2002, Douglas Alley's role was reduced to maintenance entrances. Just to the right of the Sierra Street entrance was the Golden Palace Chinese Restaurant. The Old Reno casino, seen on the left, fronted Commercial Row. Creator: Max Chapman Date: 2002
Douglas Alley, 2009
Douglas Alley, 2009 In 2009, the alley revealed no trace of its former vitality. Looking west from Virginia Street, on the right is the south wall of the former Fitzgeralds Hotel-Casino, which became the Whitney Peak Hotel in 2014. On the left is the north wall of the former Primadonna Club, which became Siri's Casino in 2014. Straight ahead is The Montage, high-rise condominiums in a building that started out in 1978 as the Sahara Reno. Creator: Sharon Honig-Bear Date: 2009

Location

Metadata

Sharon Honig-Bear, “Douglas Alley,” Reno Historical, accessed September 13, 2024, https://renohistorical.org/items/show/160.