Random Stories
IXL Laundry
A sudden increase in construction activity hit Reno in the early 1930s, following the legalization of gambling and the reduction to six weeks of the residency requirement for securing a “Reno divorce.” In 1934, one of the largest projects…
Auto Painting & Trimming/Heidtman Motor Co.
Now combined as a single business, this was originally two separate buildings, 1055 and 1065 South Virginia Street. The southern half was built first, opening in 1927 as the Auto Painting & Trimming Company. The company offered complete overhauls of…
Gibbons/McCarran House
The Gibbons/McCarran House, often called the McCarran Mansion, sits prominently on Arlington Avenue and serves as a gateway to a row of fine homes along Court Street. A long-time myth about the house takes us back to Hollywood screen stars and the…
Sewell's Supermarket
Abner W. Sewell opened his first general merchandise store in the northeastern Nevada town of Tuscarora in 1897. A native of Ohio, Abner had ventured west with his brother in the 1880s, working as a cowboy on various Nevada ranches before entering…
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…
Longhorn Motel
Known today as the Best Value Lodge, the single-story, 18-unit Longhorn Motel opened at 844 S. Virginia Street on May 15, 1954. The project was a joint venture of Joe Ginocchio and his sister, Katherine Ghiglieri, whose family had owned the land for…
Featured Stories
Masonic Lodge No. 13/Reno Mercantile
The Reno Mercantile/Masonic Lodge No. 13 building, at 98 W. Commercial Row, is the oldest standing commercial structure in Reno. The lodge was chartered by Nevada’s Grand Lodge in Virginia City in…
Caughlin Ranch House
The Caughlin Ranch House, along with its outbuildings and pastoral setting, provides a rare and enduring link to Reno’s rich ranching heritage, right in the heart of the city. Since the early 1900s,…
Cladianos Building
The Cladianos Building represents a Reno success story, how a young Greek immigrant named Pete Cladianos, Sr. moved to Reno and became a respected businessman and gaming pioneer. Over a period of…
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Sacred Landmarks
5 Locations ~ Curated by The Reno Historical TeamRiding the Rails
6 Locations ~ Curated by The Reno Historical TeamUniversity of Nevada
18 Locations ~ Curated by The Reno Historical TeamSchools and Education
12 Locations ~ Curated by The Reno Historical TeamHistoric Midtown
30 Locations ~ Curated by Alicia BarberReno 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