Dear HRPS Members and Friends,
In a few days we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence marking the official founding of our country, a perfect time to reflect on the history of our country, our state, and our community. Allow me to impart a few tidbits of that history.
In 1776, most of the western half of the country was part of the Viceroyalty of Spain, later ceded to Mexico in 1821. In 1848, Mexico ceded a large portion of the west to the U.S. and in 1850 we became part of the Utah Territory. Nevada statehood came on October 31, 1864. Prior to 1848, there were mostly indigenous tribes and the occasional trappers or surveyors who passed through the area.
Below you'll find a series of maps that show the changes graphically. A more detailed history of the exploration of the Great Basin can be found in McBride_-_Exploration_and_Early_Settlement_in_NV,_2002,_NVSHPO.pdf
Prior to 1859, there were no permanent settlements of record, though there were many camps established by miners and pioneers headed for the gold fields of California. You'll read about one of those early pioneers whose invention of riveted pockets on denim work pants forever changed the culture of men's clothing, below.
Fifty years after becoming a state, the Nevada Historical Society was founded by Jeanne Wier, who served as Secretary from 1905 - 1950. When it reopens after renovations are complete, you can find many great resources about Nevada. In the meantime, if you want to brush up on your Nevada history, you can browse the online offerings of Barnes & Noble or Amazon. Don't forget to attend their Artown On the Go presentations at Nevada Sunset Winery.
This past Saturday, I led a walking tour of the UNR Historic District, which centers mostly around the Quad. Co-leading the tour was longtime HRPS Member, Jack Hursh, with materials originally researched and written by charter HRPS member, Leanne Stone. The oldest building on campus, Morrill Hall, dates to 1886, one hundred ten years after the country's founding, and twenty-two years after Nevada became a state. The Comstock Lode had mostly played out by then.
Between 1880 and 1890, the state's population dropped from 62,266 to 45,761. In 1890, Reno Town (we didn't become a City until 1901) had a population of 3,563, swelling to 4,500 by 1900. In 1890, Reno was the smallest of the three incorporated towns or cities according to the Census that year, with Virginia City at 8,511 residents, and Carson City at 8,950. By 1890, Carson City was down to 2,100 residents and Virginia City down to 2,695. Bulletin 35. Population of Nevada by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions. This may explain why we find a fair number of houses that were moved from Virginia City down to Reno around the turn of the last century.
This makes it all the more remarkable that 1894 saw the formation of the Twentieth Century Club, the oldest women's organization in the state, with 56 of the town's most prominent women in attendance at their inaugural meeting, and which started the town's first circulating library that same year and promoted the town's first public kindergarten in 1901.
Our own history as an organization is much more recent, with an inaugural walking tour led by founding President Pat Ferarro Klos in 1997, the publication of our first FootPrints quarterly in 1998, and our designation as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 1999. We've grown considerably since then!
Without the vigilance of our predecessors, our city and our state might look very different today. I am humbled by their efforts, and grateful to all of the many members and volunteers who do the research for FootPrints, our walking tours, our home tours, our speaker programs, and continue to make Reno/Sparks a most vibrant place to live. Let's continue to cherish our heritage!
Meanwhile, please mark these three dates on your calendar:
- Sunday, July 5, Nevada Sunset Winery - Two important workshops on researching the history of old houses, and three authors who will share how they featured Reno as a character in their books. Details below.
- Saturday, September 26 - Our 14th Harvest of Homes Tour
- Friday, October 23 - Centennial Anniversary of the Reno Arch
There are 13 walking tours and 1 bicycle tour along historic parts of the Truckee River remaining, and most still have slots open. View the schedule and sign up here - Walking Tours (p.s. if you have a membership for 2 people, remember that both individuals need to register separately for the walk.)
One final note - we say thank you and goodbye to board member Kathy Williams, and welcome new board member Amy Burton this month.
Kathy was a Lifetime Member of HRPS, and served as a director for the past three years. She and husband Scott are trading our high desert climate for the beaches and warmth of sunny Miami, Florida. Good luck Kathy and thanks for your contributions to HRPS!
Many members will remember Amy as our Administrator in 2023-24, and for conducting the Powning's District walking tour. More on Amy's background in a future newsletter. Welcome back, Amy!
Wishing you a Happy Fourth!
