The City of Reno is pleased to announce the installation of new historical markers at seven Reno locations for locals and visitors to explore as part of the City’s Historical Marker Program. Since 1993, the City’s Historic Preservation Program has promoted the identification, evaluation, rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, and restoration of historic resources. 

In February 2024, Reno City Council approved a grant from Nevada Humanities to support the research, design, creation, and installation of these historical markers. These markers are an effort set forth by the Historical Resources Commission. The project also received discretionary contributions from Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve and Ward 2 Councilmember Naomi Duerr. 

"It’s so important to preserve our city’s history, and we couldn’t be more excited to add these seven new historical markers to our collection of over 150 across the Biggest Little City,” said Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve. “This is a perfect opportunity for locals and visitors to come downtown and learn a bit of our history.” 
 
In addition to the historical marker signage, locals and visitors will be able to pick up a new map guide at the McKinley Arts and Culture Center and Reno City Hall. The map guide will also be available digitally on the City’s Historic Markers page. 
 
The following locations received historical markers: 

California Building – 75 Cowan Drive 
The Mission Revival-style California Building in Idlewild Park was completed in 1927 to host the Transcontinental Highways Exposition, which celebrated the completion of the first coast-to-coast highways in the United States. The State of California paid to construct the building to house exhibits showcasing the Golden State’s industries and products.  

McKinley Park School – 925 Riverside Drive 
The first of four Mission Revival-style grammar schools built between 1909 and 1912. Local architect George Ferris designed the schools known as the “Spanish Quartet” or the “Four Sisters.” The building was named after the park already at this location, created in 1902, just after President William McKinley’s assassination in 1901. 
 
Lear Theater – 501 Riverside Drive 
The Neoclassical Revival building was designed by famed Los Angeles architect Paul Revere Williams and completed in 1939. The building was previously used as a church before it was repurposed as a performing arts theater. Moya Lear, widow of the aviation pioneer Bill Lear, donated over a million dollars toward the effort, causing organizers to rename the building in her honor. The conversion to a theater was never completed. 

Douglas Alley – N. Virginia Street, near the Arch 
This alley was once a bustling corridor with back entrances to businesses such as gambling clubs, cafés, and speakeasies. At first, the alley ran several blocks through downtown Reno. Over the years, portions of the alley were abandoned in favor of development as local casinos expanded. Today, only one block of Douglas Alley remains.  

Reno City Hall – 1 E. 1st Street 
The building opened in 1963 as the headquarters for the First National Bank of Nevada. Designed by Los Angeles architect Robert Langdon, the building’s clean lies and undecorated façade represent mid-century modern efficiency and are hallmarks of international-style architecture. The skyscraper used to be the tallest building in Reno until the Arlington Towers building was completed in 1967. 

Chinatown (Site) - Lake Street and Tahoe-Pyramid Trail 
As early as the 1860s, many Chinese immigrants made their homes in Reno and ran small local business. A small Chinatown persevered to the east of Virginia Street along the north bank of the Truckee River for decades despite discrimination and outright hostility by some of Reno’s other residents and public agencies. 

Washoe County Courthouse – Court St. and S. Virginia Street 
The courthouse facing South Virginia Street was completed in 1911 and was build around the 1873 red-brick courthouse. Local architect Frederic DeLongchamps won a design competition for the courthouse expansion, making this design his first solo commission. DeLongchamps and his partner, George O’Brien, designed the successive courthouse expansions in 1946, 1949, and 1963. 

The City of Reno designs and places new historical markers as funding is available. The City of Reno Historic Resources Commission reviews new historical markers before they are implemented. New historical markers are considered when they commemorate an aspect of Reno history that does not already appear on an existing historical marker.