Filed Under Education

Manzanita Hall

Constructed as a women's dorm in 1896 and expanded in 1910

Along with Lincoln Hall and Morrill Hall, Manzanita Hall is one of three remaining buildings on the University of Nevada campus constructed prior to 1900. Like its neighboring dormitory, Lincoln Hall, Manzanita (originally named the girls' Cottage) was built in 1896 from plans designed by the San Francisco firm Percy and Hamilton.

Manzanita Hall was just half its present size and L-shaped when first erected on the west edge of campus, on a parcel of fifteen acres newly purchased to expand the University. An addition constructed in 1910 added a mirror image of the original south arm of the building to the north side. A wooden porch, added to the east side around 1910, was removed during remodeling in the 1950s; the porch ghost is still visible.

In 1905, a dining hall was added between Manzanita and Lincoln Halls, and in 1907, the three buildings were connected by boardwalks. The living complex occupied an isolated spot on what was then the extreme northwest corner of the campus near the State Road, what is now known as Virginia Street. The placement of these two dormitories reflected the then-current educational ideal of the "cottage system" of housing, a scattering of home-like buildings in a less-formal naturalistic setting. Of this group, only the dormitories remain today.

Before its closure in 2015, Manzanita Hall housed 97 women in double and single rooms. On the north side, it is attached to Juniper Hall, a co-ed dormitory. Residents of Manzanita Hall enjoyed a "Victorian" atmosphere and a lovely lounge, complete with a grand piano and a view of Manzanita Lake. Manzanita Hall remained a very popular choice for academically oriented female residents. The building is currently slated for renovation into office space.

Images

Manzanita Hall at the turn of the century
Manzanita Hall at the turn of the century Manzanita Hall in 1900. To the left is the Dining Hall, to the right is the original Gymnasium, and the Chemistry Building. Source: University Archives, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries Date: 1900
Dining Hall
Dining Hall This 1908 image shows the dining hall which stood between Lincoln and Manzanita Halls. Connected by wooden boardwalks, these buildings comprised the cottage-style housing section in the far northwest corner of the University of Nevada campus. Source: University Archives, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries Date: 1908
The long porch
The long porch A view of the length of Manzanita Hall with the long wooden porch, 1911. Source: University Archives, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries Date: 1911
Dam and tram
Dam and tram The 1911 construction of the dam topped by a tram at the south end of Manzanita Lake. Source: University Archives, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries
Lakefront property
Lakefront property Manzanita Hall reflected in Manzanita Lake, ca. 1912. Source: University Archives, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries Creator: Samuel B. Doten Date: ca. 1912
Movie set
Movie set In a scene from 20th Century-Fox's 1949 movie "Mother is a Freshman," five unidentified co-eds walk across the tram at the edge of Manzanita Lake, with two young men seated on the railing. Manzanita and Lincoln Halls are in the background. Source: University Archives, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries Creator: Reno News Service Date: ca. 1949
Campus in the twenties
Campus in the twenties Manzanita Hall, the Dining Hall, the Infirmary Building, and the common lawn areas. Source: University Archives, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries Creator: Irving J. Sandorf
Chorale
Chorale Group choral performance in Manzanita Bowl for the 1929 homecoming, with the tram and Manzanita Hall in the background. Source: University Archives, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries Creator: Irving J. Sandorf Date: 1929
A peaceful sixties scene
A peaceful sixties scene Manzanita Hall and trees reflected in Manzanita Lake in the sixties. Source: University Archives, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries Creator: Stanley Palmer Date: ca. 1965
Dorm life, 1985
Dorm life, 1985 Images from the 1985 Artemisia yearbook show students gathered in the lounge and bedrooms of Manzanita Hall. Source: University Archives, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries Date: 1985

Location

Metadata

Amanda Buell and Reno Historical Team, “Manzanita Hall,” Reno Historical, accessed December 8, 2024, https://renohistorical.org/items/show/73.