Washington-Marshall House
This site is part of the Black Springs tour, a partnership with Our Story, Inc. Visit the Tours page for the tour introduction and complete list of sites.
J.E. Sweatt sold a parcel of land to Cecil Washington and his wife, Mildred, in December 1957. Cecil had been working in Nevada, and purchased the property in Black Springs while living in Sparks. Once the land was purchased, he moved his wife and stepchildren, Barbara, Laura, Carolyn, and Ronald, here from Oakland, California.
Cecil was interviewed extensively in fall 2007 about the history of the house. The original structure dated back to 1936 and was moved to this site from downtown Reno. It was tiny, with just four rooms. Cecil, who worked in the construction industry, then built an outer shell on all four sides around the original residence, and once it was fully enclosed, tore out the inside walls to completely revitalize the interior. He then continued to improve the property, digging a septic tank in 1958 or 1959, and installing aluminum siding over the original tar paper and wood.
Mildred was a nurse, and worked for Washoe County Hospital (now Renown) in the 1960s and 1970s. She died in 1989. Cecil helped build numerous casinos in the Reno area throughout his career. He lived in the house for 63 years before passing away in 2019.
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