Historic Reno Preservation Society

Preserving Truckee Meadow's Past through Education, Advocacy, and Leadership

Welcome to HRPS
Have You Heard the Rumor...

HRPS Is Having A Home Tour?

Well, it's true! A special committee of Board members and volunteers have been working for months to put together the first ever HRPS "Reno Harvest of Homes Tour," scheduled for Saturday, October 2, 2010 from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM. Six home owners have generously opened their doors to all lovers of historic and interesting homes. Have you ever wanted to see what the unique and eclectic "Hart House" looks like on the inside? Now is your chance.  In addition to the Hart House, you can take a peek inside the following distinguished homes:

  • Upson/Arrizabalaga House — 937 Jones St.
  • Patrick Ranch House — 1225 Gordon Ave.
  • Hart House — 1150 Monroe Ct.
  • Abner Sewall House — 1280 Monroe St.
  • Full Circle House — 360 Moran St.
  • Rick's Resort/Enchanted Garden — 2775 Mayberry Dr.
 
From Your HRPS President - Fall 2010

Sharon Honig-Bear, HRPS PresidentThis is my first message as your new President of HRPS. I'm looking forward to this year, bringing opportunities for us to come together to experience the rich heritage of our community.

I'm writing this while visiting Buffalo, New York. Years ago I attended the university here, a very young student from a suburban town, who had no exposure to great architecture. I discovered that Buffalo is a hidden jewel of a city (despite the weather),  laid out by "City Beautiful" champion Frederick Law Olmsted and enriched by the works of Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Eero Saarinen and miles of "Victorian Ladies" that were affordable even to impoverished students.

Thus began a lifelong love of architecture. I also understood, as a young woman, how important our neighborhoods and history are in maintaining a community's identity.

Those early lessons have translated easily to my life in Reno. In the quarter-century that I've lived here, I went from personally exploring this area, to actively sharing my knowledge with others through HRPS. My "information junkie" personality found the perfect outlet with HRPS's tours.

 
Board Meeting - June 2010

HRPS is pleased to announce the newly elected Board and officers for 2010-2011:

Officers:

  • President: Sharon Honig-Bear
  • Vice-President: Jerry Fenwick
  • Treasurer: Roger Steininger
  • Secretary: Barrie Schuster

Board of Directors:

Rosie Cevasco, Barbara Courtnay, Debbie Hinman, Bill Isaeff, Jack Hursh, Jr., Jim Smith, Carrie Young, Felvia Belaustegui

 
An American Dream in Little Italy

Work, Play, and Geography in the Powning Addition

Hugging the north bank of the scenic Truckee River immediately west of downtown Reno is a charming residential and commercial district with a surprisingly colorful past. This leafy enclave, locally referred to as the Powning Addition, was first developed by local newspaperman C.C. Powning in the late 1880s. His intent was to create an exclusive neighborhood for Reno's growing elite. What gradually emerged, though, was an intriguing mix of humble craftsmen bungalows and modest Queen Annes, built by the founding members of what would become one of Reno's largest Italian American communities. Throughout most of the twentieth century, this area offered these hardworking immigrants a convenient and affordable escape from the hustle and bustle of the downtown shops and saloons. Now the time has come to celebrate this rich past while also looking toward the future of this distinct ethnic urban landscape.

 
Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Paul Ferrari, C.E., president of Ferrari Shields Structural Engineers, will speak about the restoration of the 1875 St. Mary's in the Mountains Catholic Church in Virginia City. The seismic retrofit was accomplished by "emplacing" a reinforced concrete structure into the unreinforced brick walls of the buildings in such a manner that the historic exterior and interior of the building appear essentially unchanged.