Random Stories
Mapes Hotel (site)
The 12-story Mapes Hotel became the tallest building in Nevada when it burst onto the Reno scene in 1947. Its prime location on the northeast corner of the Truckee River and Virginia Street had become available in 1934, when the old post office was…
Lake Mansion
As you look at this impressive Italianate-style home, imagine the complication of moving its bulk--not once, but two separate times. The Lake Mansion, now sitting proudly at the corner of Court Street and Arlington Avenue, was built in 1877 by…
Southside School Annex
The Southside School Annex was built in 1936 through a grant provided by the Public Works Administration (PWA), one of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal programs initiated during the Great Depression. The Southside School had been built in…
Park Wedding Chapel (site)
The Park Wedding Chapel, and the Sullivan Apartments next to it, were replaced by a modern commercial building in 2009, but the little chapel’s distinction comes from being Reno’s first wedding chapel. Joseph Melcher, a local advertising…
Mary S. Doten School (site)
The Mary S. Doten Elementary School was built in 1912. One of the four Mission-style schools known as the Four Spanish Sisters or the Spanish Quartet, Mary S. Doten was similar in style to Mount Rose School on Lander Street, which remains in use as 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 schools…
Featured Stories
Reno Elks Home (site)
Today this site is occupied by the Palladio condominiums, which opened in 2007, but for more than 50 years it was the location of the Reno Elks Home. The Reno Elks Lodge of the Benevolent and…
Eddie's Corner Bar/Mr. O's
The small brick building on the northwest corner of South Virginia and Mount Rose Streets has been a busy neighborhood bar for generations. When constructed in 1937, however, it was a simple market…
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…
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Riding the Rails
6 Locations ~ Curated by The Reno Historical TeamSacred Landmarks
5 Locations ~ Curated by The Reno Historical TeamSchools and Education
12 Locations ~ Curated by The Reno Historical TeamHistoric Downtown Alleys
4 Locations ~ Curated by Sharon Honig-BearHistoric Riverfront Walking Tour
12 Locations ~ Curated by The Reno Historical TeamReno 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