Five Reno locations on the National Register of Historic Places you can visit today
History is all around us here in Reno.
The Biggest Little City is full of locations on the National Register of Historic Places, including ones that you can not only see, but visit and attend events at.
If you're looking for historic buildings, or are just curious about the significance of the cultural centers in Reno, here are five locations that are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Lake Mansion
The Lake Mansion, 250 Court St., is not only a nationally recognized historic place, it is also an arts and cultural center that holds several events every month. Some classes just this week include:
- Family Workshop: Magical Spring Garden Gnomes will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. March 20. Two people work on each project. Anyone 4 years old and older is welcome, but kids younger than 14 need to be accompanied by an adult. Cost: $35 per project.
- Friday Watercolor: “Golden Blue Eyed Eagle” by Paula Bridges is a class for anyone 14 and up. The art education program is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 21 and costs $35.
- Botanical Illustration: This class is intended for people 14 years and older looking to learn how to draw plants over the next few Saturdays. The class series will take place March 22, March 29 and April 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. It costs $80.
The Lake Mansion was purchased by Myron Lake in 1877. Lake is often considered Reno's founder, according to Reno Historical, because his toll bridge across the Truckee River prompted the early settlement called "Lake's Crossing" where Reno now stands.
The historic building moved once from the northwest corner of California and Virginia Streets to South Virginia Street near the convention center to save it from demolition in 1971 when a bank was set to be built at its location. The Lake Mansion was once again moved in 2004 to its current location.
Fleischmann Atmospherium Planetarium
Called a masterpiece of Populuxe architecture by Reno Historical, the Fleischmann Planetarium on the UNR campus features the streamlined, futuristic design that brings to mind the space age. From 4 to 7 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, the planetarium puts on hourly celestial showings at its full-dome theater. Tickets cost $15 per person, $10 for UNR students and seniors.
The Fleischmann Planetarium is on the National Register of Historic Places in Reno.
Washoe County Library
The downtown Reno library was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2013. It is also listed on the Reno Register of Historic Places. The library opened in 1966. Mushroom pods connected by stairs bring patrons to different levels of the library while the indoor garden makes visitors almost forget they are in the middle of Reno's downtown.
The library is one of the locations listed on the National Register of Historic Places that people can visit almost any time and regularly has community events going on. Here's some that are happening this week:
- Spring Break STEAM Camp for kids 5 to 12, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 19 and 20
- Chapter One Book Club from 3 to 4 p.m. This month the club is reading "The House in the Pines" by Ana Reyes.
The Downtown Reno Library is on the National Register of Historic Places in Reno.
Pioneer Theater-Auditorium
The Pioneer Theater is not only on the National Register of Historic Places, it is on the Nevada State Register of Historic Places and the Reno Register of Historic Places. The theater opened in 1967 and has been a center for performing arts and various community culture events since. Just this week, the Reno Philharmonic will present Beethoven's Emperor Concerto on March 22 and 23.
Doors for the Saturday show open at 6 p.m. and at 2:30 p.m. for the Sunday show. Tickets for the Saturday show cost from $37.50 to $123.50 and $44.50 to $151.50 for the Sunday show. You can also get livestream tickets and watch from home for $28.50 if bought online.
The Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts is on the National Register of Historic Places in Reno.
Galena Creek Schoolhouse
If you're looking for historic places in Reno to visit but want some time outdoors, you can visit the Galena Creek Schoolhouse on while on a walk through Phillip & Annie Callahan Park. The schoolhouse was listed on the register in 2011.
The schoolhouse is the namesake of Joanne de Longchamps' (a famous poet and prominent member of the Reno arts scene at the time) book of poetry The Schoolhouse Poems.
The Galena Creek Schoolhouse is on the National Register of Historic Places in Reno.
What other Nevada locations are on the National Register of Historic Places?
These are just a fraction of places in Northern Nevada that are on the registry. The Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity House, the first fraternity-built house at UNR that was constructed in 1929, at 205 University Terrace is also on the register. Landrum's Hamburger System No. 1, now the site of Beefy's, at 1300 S. Virginia St. is on the list as well.
Beefy’s Burgers occupies a historic diner assembled on the spot, 1300 S. Virginia St., in 1947. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The database does not have some recently added historic places in Northern Nevada, such as the Black Springs Volunteer Firehouse. There are also some locations on the list, such as the Borland-Clifford House, that are no longer on the National Register of Historic Places.
What does it mean to be on the National Register of Historic Places?
The National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the United State's historic places worthy of preservation. It was authorized as part of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and "is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources," according to the National Park Service's website.
Though bring listed on the National Register of Historic Places deems it "worthy of preservation" by the National Park Service, being on the register does not guarantee preservation or protection from demolition or alteration.
Designation on the National Register of Historic Places provides recognition for a location's significance in the community, but only a designation on Reno's local register provides any protection against alteration or creates delays in demolition.
Additionally, a designation on the Nevada State Register of Historic Places alone does not provide protections. However, local governments can use the national and state register as a reference to what places are determined as historically significant.
This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: Five Reno locations on the National Register of Historic Places you can visit today
