Dear HRPS Members, I hope our spring weather finds you yearning for outdoor activities. Segments on the Lincoln Highway and "Programs on the Porch" are sure to whet your appetite. Please plan to attend our Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 4 at 5:30 pm. We have one short piece of business to attend to - amending our bylaws - followed by an interesting program on Mountain Men. The bylaws revision is explained below, along with a link to the proposed document. We hope you'll exercise your membership rights and attend next Tuesday. Also on May 4 at 9 am, the City of Reno will be holding a hearing to address four appeals of the building permit for a planned apartment building at 700 Riverside Drive. This development is causing quite a bit of controversy. Several articles, information on how to attend the hearing virtually or submit comments, and the developer's responses to questions put forth by Frank Mullen of the Reno News & Review are provided below. May is National Historic Preservation Month and this issue is packed with articles about tips to preserve places from the 'recent past', a Paul Revere Williams discovery, a book recommendation, a request for input from Reno Parks & Recreation, and our board member profile - HRPS Vice President, ZoAnn Campana. We know you are anxious about a return to walking tours, and so are we. For certain there will be no walking tours through June, but we will be providing virtual tours in July. We are keeping an eye on changing regulations and will let you know as soon as in-person programs return! |
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Annual Meeting & Proposed Bylaws Vote
Tuesday, May 4, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom
Your HRPS Board has completed a Bylaws review, with an eye to updating the HRPS Bylaws, last reviewed in 2015. Bylaws should reflect the way an organization operates and the proposed changes conform to how we are currently doing business as a non-profit. We have modernized many sections, allowing for virtual and other electronic forms of operation and management, and we have cleaned up language from the original Bylaws that were modeled on a for-profit corporation.
Previously, the membership approved the Board slate at a (physical) annual meeting. As you know from experience, we are often adding Board members at different times throughout the year, prompted by resignations for various reasons. We propose a change in the Bylaws to have only the Board approve new Board members and at any time during the year.
The current Bylaws require a vote of the Membership at the Annual Meeting to approve any changes. This requirement is a component of Bylaws geared toward a corporate environment where members are also shareholders. As a non-profit, HRPS does not function that way and we propose a change to require only Board approval to make a change in the Bylaws. We will be asking for a simple 'yes' or 'no' vote on the changes. Proposed Bylaws for Member Approval
HRPS presents
American Mountain Men with Larry Walker
Larry Walker first became interested in shooting sports in the late 1980s. That led to muzzleloader competitions and cowboy action shooting. Those sports led him to an interest in the history of the western fur trade era, the "Mountain Men". In 2000, he connected with the American Mountain Men who, as an organization, study in earnest the lifestyles and equipment of fur trappers, with an emphasis on authenticity. Larry’s main focus of research has been on the firearms used in the late 18th and first half of the 19th centuries. He currently builds recreations of the JJ Henry trade rifles that were the most commonly used by the mountaineers.
Larry will speak on the beaver trappers of the “fur trade era” (1800-1840) and how the American Mountain Men research and teach the skills and history of these important pathfinders.
Program is free, but advance registration is required. |
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Other Programs You Might Enjoy
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"The History of Transit in Northern Nevada" Saturday, May 8, 2:00-3:30 pm |
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At the turn of the 20th Century, streetcars and interurbans were the most popular methods of public transportation in many urban areas of the U.S. Streetcars operated within cities providing frequent service along fixed routes. Interurbans were electric railroads connecting cities to outlying smaller towns to provide frequent service that steam railroads were unwilling or unable to provide the public.
Join us Saturday, May 8th at 2:00 pm for this exciting lecture on The History of Transit in Northern Nevada. Adam Michalski, Curator of Education at the Nevada Railroad Museum will look at the streetcar and interurban lines that were built in Northern Nevada, including the Reno Traction Company and the Nevada Interurban. The presentation will uncover some of the many harebrained schemes to build streetcar and interurban routes in Reno, Fallon, Carson City, and through Mount Rose to Lake Tahoe. Program is free, but advance registration is required |
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McKeen Motor Car, Nevada Railroad Museum |
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Edwards Motor Car, Nevada Railroad Museum |
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"Preserving the Last Queen Anne" Thursday, May 20, 12:00 pm |
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Neal Cobb's Nevada Historical Society High Noon program for May features Loren Jahn's efforts to save the last 1890s Queen Anne cottage from the University Gateway District.
Loren Jahn is a Reno native, artist and local preservationist. He specializes in murals and other art forms that depict historic Northern Nevada, particularly its architecture, and has worked on several local conservation efforts. Program is free, but advance registration is required. |
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"Programs on the Porch" Friday, May 21, 7:00 pm |
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Riverside Drive Apartments Update |
Last month we let readers know about a new 34-unit apartment building slated for a parcel on Riverside Drive, bounded by Jones and Lunsford Park, adjacent to "The Hub" coffee shop and other businesses. We also published an article in the latest edition of FootPrints.
The footprint of the building will cover the existing parking lot, Washington St. between Jones and Riverside Drive, and a slice of Lunsford Park. (shaded area below), and construction has already begun. The design has raised concerns from neighbors, the Historical Resources Commission, and HRPS.
HRPS has issued a statement in opposition to the development
"The apartment building proposed for 700 Riverside Drive is out of scale with the surrounding neighborhood and has the potential to irreversibly change the characterof the area. HRPS hopes that these plans can be modified to better suit the Powning Conservation District and adhere to the city's recently-approved Master Plan. We urge the developers to amend their plans, designing a building that will complement the surrounding neighborhood rather than compete with it."
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Parcel 011-581-06 includes the parking lot site and its frontage, one block of Washington Street & part of Lundsford Park. Washoe Regional Mapping System
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Site work is proceeding with demolition and grading between Riverside and Jones, including the abandoned portion of Washington Street and the strip of Lundsford Park along Washington St. On April 27th, 6 trees were removed -- 3 in Lundsford Park, 2 along the west side of abandoned Washington St., and one on Jones St. -- leaving five remaining on Jones. Although the building permit calls for these five trees to be removed as well, as of April 29th they remain. |
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Photo by Bradley Carlson, AIA - 4/29/21 - looking southwest from Jones St. |
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Four appeals have been filed with the City protesting this project. A hearing is scheduled for May 4, 2021 at 9:00 AM, via Zoom. The public can log into Zoom to observe (see below to register). Note that written public comment may also be submitted. From the City Clerk:
Please find the Zoom link below for individuals to register to observe the Administrative Hearing scheduled on May 4, 2021 at 9 a.m. for case BLD21-00655E via Zoom. Upon registering, users will receive an email with their specific link to the meeting. Users will only be able to attend the meeting with their specific link.
Public comment may be submitted to cityclerk@reno.gov regarding this appeal. The hearing officer will decide if public comment is permitted during the hearing. Zoom Registration Link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_svu1nsGGQV-4fTh-BdO6hQ |
A primary concern of the appeals is the propriety of using the entire block of Washington Street between Jones and Riverside as square footage for a multi-story building when it was originally approved only for use as angled surface parking. |
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Plans for a four-story apartment building at 700 Riverside Drive show interior parking on its first floor with three floors of housing above. The building’s north side, depicted here, would face a row of single-story historic homes on Jones Street. Joseph W. Snider Architect
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Additional concerns include its incompatibility with the density, size, scale and massing of the established Powning Conservation District, its close proximity to the property lines, the inhospitable design and width of the 130-foot-long wall that would face Jones Street, and the blocking of the viewshed in all directions and increased parking demand that would result.
In addition to the instructions above for public comment at the Appeal Hearing -- public input to express support for this appeal can also be sent to the City Clerk <CityClerk@reno.gov>. Be sure to reference Case BLD21-00655E regarding 700 Riverside Drive.
Consider also copying City Manager Doug Thornley <thornleyd@reno.gov> and the City Council < https://www.reno.gov/government/city-council>. |
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Developer Paddy Egan addresses many of the concerns in a May 1 Q&A piece by Frank Mullen in the Reno News & Review. Egan maintains his concept for the property not only complements the historic nature of the neighborhood, but that it is much more compatible than a previously approved development that never materialized (Ponte Vecchio). Egan says he appreciates the efforts of HRPS and others concerned with historic preservation in the area and thinks, "we share many of the same values and goals." |
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IMAGE/URBAN LION: An artist’s rendering of the building, showing its terraced design.
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"Early Reno" was a project of the Nevada Historical Society Docent Council, written by Carol Coleman with pictures gathered by David Kennedy - published by Arcadia Books in 2011.
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In 1868, Reno was a rough railroad town located on the new Central Pacific railroad line and quickly became the transportation hub for the greatest silver strike in the world, the Comstock Lode in Virginia City. By the early 1900s, Reno was the state's financial and industrial center.
The automobile and the arrival of the Lincoln and Victory Highways made Reno a convenient place for a quick divorce, and between 1910 and 1970, it was known as the divorce capital of the world.
Gaming thrived since its earliest days, and became the state's major economic force after it was legalized in 1931. Known as the "Biggest Little City," Reno was famous as a place where one could do things that were difficult to do anywhere else.
Early Reno can be purchased at Sundance Books, Barnes & Noble, Walgreens, and Amazon.com.
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Explore the Lincoln Highway |
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If you're planning to hit the road this summer, why not explore the historic route of the Lincoln Highway and U.S. 40 in Reno and Sparks through stories, images, and voices.
This interactive journey of discovery is a great way for the whole family to become more familiar with how the Truckee Meadows came to be the crossroads it is today.
Initiated by the RTC of Washoe County, major partners include Nevada Humanities, the Nevada Historical Society, the Special Collections Department of the University of Nevada, Reno Libraries, the Sparks Museum & Cultural Center, the Historic Reno Preservation Society, Reno Historical, and many generous community members!
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Nevada's Loneliest Road, courtesy of C.N. Plummer |
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Reno Parks & Recreation Wants Your Opinion |
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Oxbow Park Photo courtesy of Visitreno.com |
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The City of Reno is in the process of updating their Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Service Plan, and they'd like to hear from you! The responses to this survey will help shape the new plan. English Version Spanish Version When complete, the new plan will contain support for policy levels of service, description and maps of the facilities, improvements or projects to be constructed, cost estimates for land acquisition, and much more. Please lend your thoughts to the discussion. |
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Meet HRPS Vice President - ZoAnn Campana |
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ZoAnn Campana HRPS Vice President |
ZoAnn will be leaving the HRPS board when her term expires at the end of May, but will continue on as Membership Chair. "I rely on ZoAnn for her knowledge of architecture, history, and her just plain good sense!" - Carol Coleman, HRPS President |
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A lifelong Nevadan, I have worked in the field of historic preservation since 2015. After graduating from UNR with an English degree, I knew I wanted to continue on with graduate school but wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life. One day, I happened upon an article about ongoing disaster relief in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. The article mentioned architectural historians who were working to identify historical structures that had been affected by the storm, and suddenly I realized I could make a career out of two things that had held my fascination from the time I was a child – architecture and history.
I received my Master of Preservation Studies from Tulane University in New Orleans in 2014. I returned to Reno to survey the Newlands neighborhood, which formed the basis of a National Register for Historic Places nomination for the Newlands Historic District, which I authored. Over the next several years, I worked as a consultant for the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office and for the City of Reno before landing in the world of cultural resources management when Kautz Environmental Consultants hired me as their principal architectural historian. In this position, I have had the opportunity to travel throughout Nevada – by plane, helicopter, and automobile—to document all kinds of interesting architectural resources.
I formerly served on the City of Reno’s Historical Resources Commission, and currently serve on the boards for Preserve Nevada and HRPS. My service on the HRPS Board, stirred by a desire to get involved in local preservation activities, began in 2015. HRPS’ mission to educate and advocate for the Truckee Meadows’ historic resources on a grassroots level continues to inspire me, and during this time of wild development it is more important than ever to show why our heritage matters, and what makes it so special. |
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10 Tips to Preserve Places from the Recent Past |
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St. John's Abby, courtesy of National Trust for Historic Preservation |
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In the preservation world, the term “recent past” most commonly refers to historic places younger than 50 years old. Modernism, which is another term often associated with the recent past, is generally defined as a style that began to flourish in the United States in the 1930s. Both describe places and cultural resources that are among the most under-appreciated and vulnerable aspects of our nation’s heritage.
You may already know about our country’s recent past through architectural icons like the Farnsworth House or Glass House (both National Trust Historic Sites), designed landscapes like Lawrence Halprin’s Freeway Park, and nationally significant historic sites like Lorraine Motel, associated with the civil rights movement.
But this story is also told in less prominent places that are equally important to local communities and reveal much about who we are and where we've come from—early fast-food restaurants, drive-through branch banks, post-war housing projects, and suburban developments. And, often, these lesser-known places are the ones at risk, perceived as expendable, unattractive, or unworthy of preservation.
Here are 10 things you can do to help save a place from the recent past in your community. |
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Paul Revere Williams-designed Mosaic Realized at UCLA 60 Years Later |
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Williams possibly had branding in mind when he designed the plant-motif mosaic. By realizing the piece on the non-brick wall and extending it through the entrance, the mosaic graphically identifies the La Kretz Botany Building to passersby. | Credit: CO Architects
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Designed in 1957, the Botany Building at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) was Williams’ first project commissioned solely to his firm by a prominent institution. In 2017, Los Angeles firm CO Architects was awarded the renovation of UCLA’s La Kretz Botany Building lobby. While studying William’s original hand-drafted drawings in hopes of better understanding the architecture, CO discovered an unrealized detail for a plant-motif glass-mosaic mural on the last sheet of the architectural drawings, titled "Miscellaneous Details."
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100 Years Ago in Reno From the Nevada State Journal, May 5, 1921 |
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https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76744883/
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Explore Reno From Your Phone |
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Ever find yourself with a few minutes of down time while waiting for a friend or sitting at the dentist's office? Check out the Reno Historical app or go to the Reno Historical website for an instant mini-history. Reno Historical is a collection of vignettes about historic buildings and events in Reno. Stories are updated frequently so there's always something new to read about! |
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Are You Reading the "Barber Brief"? |
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Alicia Barber, Ph.D. started the Barber Brief to keep Reno residents better informed about city development. "My hope is that the information and insights I provide can help our community (and others!) feel better informed and empowered to participate in the local governmental processes that affect the places where they live." Recent posts include The Neon Line District, the Lakeridge Development, the Powning District Apartment Building project, riverfront redevelopment, and much more. |
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Do you know a long time resident who might enjoy knowing more about Reno's history? How about a newer resident who might appreciate a little background on their new home town? If so, forward a copy of this newsletter and encourage them to join HRPS! A single membership is just $25/year ($45 for a family membership) and you can now join and pay online! Members enjoy monthly newsletters, our information-packed quarterly FootPrints magazine, free admission to walking tours and certain other HRPS events, plus the knowledge you are helping support historic preservation in Reno! |
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Do you like what HRPS does? Do you think preserving Reno's history is important? Consider making a donation for the Reno Heritage Fund, which helps owners make improvements to their older homes. More information on the Heritage Fund can be found on our website. |
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Historic Reno Preservation Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting historic resources in the Truckee Meadows through education, advocacy, and leadership. |
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Historic Reno Preservation Society | P.O. Box 14003, Reno, NV 89507 board@historicreno.org | 775-747-4478
Virginia Street Bridge photos courtesy of Nevada Historical Society
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