The Family
Powning is a surname frequently heard by those who regularly attend the HRPS monthly meetings. Back in 2003, two HRPS members, Felvia Belaustegui and Cindy Ainsworth, undertook the overwhelming task of performing a survey of that sector of the city known as Powning's Addition. The Winter 2004 issue of FootPrints introduced readers to Christopher Columbus (C.C.) Powning and that same year, HRPS published the booklet, A Walk Through Time, a project conceived of by President Patty Cafferata, to introduce local residents to one of the earliest subdivisions in the city, Powning's Addition. Since that time, more information has come to light about the Powning family, members of which are still locally prominent today, and the survey, completed in 2008, is fulfilling a new purpose.
The "Powning" for whom the Addition was named was an important figure in early Reno. Orphaned and making his way from Wisconsin to Reno at the age of 16, most probably in the company of his grandmother and brother Thomas, Christopher Columbus Powning, or C. C. as he was more commonly known, arrived in the fledgling town the same year it became a stop on the Central Pacific Railroad and was officially christened "Reno." The remarkable young man was at the helm of the Nevada State Journal from 1870 until 1891. But Powning didn't stop there. He went on to become a state senator, owner of the Reno Water, Land and Light Company, and land developer, all before his premature death at the age of 46.
But there was another Powning family, residing just southeast and up a steep grade from Reno in Silver City, Nevada. Born in Silver City in 1879 was Charles Gundry or C. G. Powning. This Powning held the position of Justice of the Peace in Verdi, Nevada, for 38 years, and is the Powning from whom the present-day local family, including local dentist Greg V. Powning, is descended. Thanks to some meticulous research recently performed by former Reno resident Margaret E. Rockenbeck, the connection between the two families has been established.
Although they were 27 years apart in age, C. C. and C. G. Powning were first cousins; their fathers were brothers, coming from Cornwall in the British Isles. These brothers were eight years apart in age. The elder brother, William, had three known children, C. C. being the middle child, and William's brother George fathered nine children, of which C. G. was number 8. There have been Pownings in northern Nevada and in Reno since its inception and descendants of these early pioneers continue to make this area home.
The Park
The State Building and Powning Park.
"The only breathing spot at present within the city limits is a small square opposite the court house, and to what extent it is appreciated by the public is demonstrated during the present heated season, when the benches are occupied nearly all day and well into the night." Thus reads an Editorial Comment column from the August 16, 1906 Nevada State Journal. The park to which the comment refers was then called City Park, Reno's very first public park, or square.
In late May of 1911, the City Council voted to re-name the park, due to "the rapid advance of progressiveness" and because the name City Park sounded "too much like a country village." The name they selected was Powning Square, in honor of C. C. Powning, who was described as "one of the most influential, public-spirited citizens in Washoe County." The article also stated that Powning was credited with having planted the first batch of trees on that patch of land.
While Powning Square sounded quite elegant and cosmopolitan, by the time the State Building was being constructed for the Transcontinental Highway Exposition in 1926, it was being referred to in news stories as Powning Park. The State Building occupied the east end of the lot on the land where the Pioneer Theater Auditorium stands today. Though the park size was reduced to make way for the State Building, it was still a lovely place, with mature trees, lawn and benches.
Though the State Building, housing the Nevada Historical Society, the Washoe County Library, and the Reno Chamber of Commerce, as well as a myriad of other offices throughout its history, changed hands from the state, to the city, and finally to the county, it stood on the site until it was razed in 1966 to make way for the new auditorium. Many local residents expressed concern that too much of the park might be lost, if the auditorium covered more of the lot than the State Building. One of these residents was Amy Gulling. Mrs. Gulling was a prominent person in local affairs, and the daughter of William Thompson. Her mother, Florence Bryant Thompson, was the daughter of Jane Lake, wife of Myron Lake, considered by many to be the founding father of Reno. Mrs. Gulling had a vested interest in the project, as she told the City Council that her father had set the property aside as a park in 1891. A 1963 news story quoted her as saying, "I think we would have no objection to the use of the same amount of property as the State Building. It would be wonderful to have an auditorium there with a little green in front." But she and others voiced concern that should the new structure occupy much more of the lot, too much of the park, and in particular,the large, old trees, would be lost. The architect of the proposed new structure, Robert Roeloff, informed the board that the trees, mostly elms, were not healthy anyway and that new trees would be planted on the site to replace them. Today, a few scraggly trees ring the huge expanse of vari-colored pavement and what remains of Powning Square occupies a small area across State Street to the south.
Today's Signage at Powning Park.
In 1965, with plans underway to build a new auditorium, a decision was made by the Fair and Recreation Board to retain the pioneer statue in Powning Park on the site of the new structure. Board members felt it was appropriate, as the new auditorium would bear the name "the Pioneer." This statue had been a gift from city engineer Charley Hill in 1939. The Pioneer Theater-Auditorium was completed in late 1967, opening in January 1968.
Today's Powning Park contains various war memorials, as well as an impressive statue of General Jesse Reno, our city's namesake, which was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 29, 2006 at "the new" Powning Park--138 years after the naming of the town. Though tiny, the park, now known as Powning Veterans Memorial Park, still provides a small amount of green space amid the concrete and asphalt of South Virginia Street, and serves as a namesake reminder of that first public park.
The Addition
From the time the initial city lots were auctioned off on May 9, 1868, Reno residential neighborhoods began to spring up, beginning in the city core and radiating outward. Most of these subdivisions, or "additions," as they were commonly known, bore the name of their developer. Powning's Addition came to be in June of 1888, touting large lots, "perfect sewerage," wide alleys, and claiming to be a "healthy location and safe from fire." This Addition's north/south boundaries were the Central Pacific railroad tracks to the river, with the east/west boundaries extending from Arlington (then Chestnut) to Keystone Avenue.
The earlier architecture of the addition was largely of the Queen Anne style, a later Victorian design. Because this was more of a working class neighborhood, most of the homes were of moderate size. According to A Walk Through Time, construction in the neighborhood slowed in the 1890s due to an economic depression.
But this lag in growth was only temporary, and it wasn't long before other farsighted developers and entrepreneurs began in investing in unimproved land throughout the city. Powning's Addition became an attractive opportunity for them. One such developer was W. R. Gilbert.
In a paper on Gilbert's Rearrangement of Powning's Addition, Cindy Ainsworth writes, "Reno experienced a significant building boom during 1900 and 1910 due primarily to the mining activity in the southern Nevada towns of Goldfield and Tonopah. The town developed into a transportation hub and delivered agricultural and manufactured goods to these southern mining areas. Many of the high profile mine owners' families lived in Reno along with the laborers responsible for the manufactured goods."
By the time new home construction resumed in the Addition, a new style of home was in evidence—the Craftsman bungalow. This was a very popular and appropriate home style for Reno; the low profile and overhanging roof style, usually covering a wide front porch, was a comfortable home for the Reno climate. Most of these homes were constructed of brick, supplied by several local brickyards. Many of these brick bungalows in Powning's Addition were built or purchased by Reno's growing Italian community. A small garden was a usual necessity, and many had basements where wine was regularly produced and stored.
In addition to the residential component of Powning's Addition, businesses sprang up there as well, primarily along Second Street, in response to the advent of the Lincoln Highway, just two blocks north. Today it remains a diverse sector of the city with much of the commercial elements of the area changing almost daily, while a great number of the original homes remain, with their lawns and large shade trees. You can walk the blocks and still experience the flavor of an early Reno neighborhood.
It is because of the history contained here amid the lovely setting of the Truckee River and the architectural integrity of its homes that HRPS President Felvia Belaustegui and Administrator Cindy Ainsworth first embarked upon their neighborhood survey. Along with the necessary historic research into the origins of the area, begun by Belaustegui back in the late 1990s while researching the neighborhood for her master's thesis, the pair painstakingly catalogued and photographed each significant property. At that time, it was with an eye toward nominating the addition as a National Register Historic District. While many residents of the neighborhood supported this goal, others had concerns about the restrictive nature of Historic Register properties.
In 2006, the City of Reno began working in cooperation with the Historic Resources Commission (HRC) to establish city-wide preservation policies. The Historic Plan was developed through a lengthy public involvement process. The Historic Plan was approved just last year by the Reno City Council and other governing commissions. A part of the Historic Plan provides guidelines for establishing Conservation Districts, a new concept in Reno.
Defined as "a geographically definable area that conveys a distinct character that demonstrates its history and development patterns," a Conservation District provides for a method of achieving preservation without the regulations of a traditional historic district.
In the words of The Historic Plan, "The establishment of Districts throughout the city increases public awareness, education, and visibility of Reno's historic resources and brings greater appreciation of the resources. These districts have the potential to create a greater sense of community and to create economic benefits for the area especially when linked with other areas and/or programs."
The most attractive feature of a Conservation District to property owners in the area is that it imposes no regulatory requirements other than those currently require through zoning. Yet the designation will only enhance the cohesiveness of the community, particularly once the unique signage, lighting and street signs begin appearing throughout the District. With design assistance by Cindy Ainsworth, street sign toppers are now in the process of being created by the City of Reno and will bear the street name, along with a unique, identifying graphic of a small Craftsman Bungalow, the most prevalent architecture of the Addition. Entrance markers and corner monuments may also define the District, as funds become available for such enhancements.
Locals have long admired some of the more significant properties of Powning's Addition, such as the McKinley Arts & Culture Center (formerly McKinley Park Elementary School) and the Lear Theater (formerly the First Church of Christ, Scientist) but there are many other smaller gems contained in the area that will now garner recognition with the creation of the Powning Conservation District.
For those of you unfamiliar with this neighborhood, take the time to stroll through some of its small streets, and pause to appreciate the unique and varied architecture and large, leafy trees. Then use your mind's eye to see the industrious Italians creating their garden patches, and to hear the shouts of children playing in the schoolyard of McKinley Park. If you listen very closely, you may hear the faint clip-clop of horse hooves as carriages move slowly down "the aristocratic Riverside Avenue Driveway," enjoying a Sunday ride through the new Addition.
This article was written by Debbie Hinman, HRPS Board Member and is on the editorial staff of FootPrints.
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