McKinley School, constructed in 1909-10, can be found in Reno’s historic Powning’s addition neighborhood.
In recent years, more and more attention is being paid to a Reno neighborhood known as Powning’s addition. Directly west of downtown Reno and north of the Truckee River (roughly bordered by Keystone Avenue, Commercial Row, Arlington Avenue and Riverside Drive), the area contains some of the community’s most historically significant structures.
The neighborhood takes its name from Christopher Columbus (C.C.) Powning, one-time owner and editor of the Nevada State Journal newspaper, who served as the primary force behind its development.
Powning, who is now largely forgotten, owned the newspaper from 1871 to 1891, and also served as president of the Reno Water, Land and Light Co., the main utility provider for the community.
In 1886, Powning purchased 122 acres of land west of the downtown, which he divided into lots and began selling under the name, Powning’s addition.
According to historical records, while sales were steady in the beginning, with a number of Italian families locating in the new neighborhood, construction was stop-and-go because of Nevada’s roller coaster economy, which, at the time, was so dependent on mining.
As a result, homes were built in the subdivision over a five to six-decade period (from the 1890s to the 1940s). Construction styles varied with early houses built with a Queen Anne design (popular in the late Victorian period) and later homes largely being Craftsman bungalows, a style popular in the 1930s.
Additionally, commercial development began to appear along First and Second streets, which intersect the tract, due to the increasing popularity of the automobile, particularly after the development of the Lincoln Highway, which passed through downtown Reno.
Today, Powning’s addition is a mixed-use neighborhood with many quaint historic homes, some still used as residences, surrounded by office buildings, apartments, commercial developments, and elegant houses that have been converted into businesses.
Several years ago, Nevada historical writer Patty Cafferata produced an excellent walking tour booklet (“A Walk-Through Time: The Historic Powning’s Addition in Reno, Nevada”) that listed some two dozen noteworthy sites in Powning’s addition, including the following:
The McKinley Park School at 925 Riverside Drive. This beautiful Mission Revival-style school, now an arts center, was erected in 1909-10. The school was one of Reno’s “Spanish Quartet” schools, designed at the time by noted Nevada architect George Ferris in a Mission Revival style. Today, McKinley and Mount Rose Elementary School still survive.
The Pearl Upson House, 937 Jones, is a good example of the Queen Anne-style architecture. This red brick, two-story house was built in about 1902 by Mr. and Mrs. Pearl Upson and still serves as a private residence.
Dow House, 935 Jones, is another classic red brick Queen Anne, built about the same time as the Upson home. It boasts a wrap-around porch and is currently used as an office.
Rocovits Gas Station, 100 Winter, considered Reno’s oldest gas station. The gas station, believed to have been constructed in 1914, was one of the early commercial businesses built in Powning’s addition.
Dondero Property, 96 Winter and 98 Winter, is a prime example of some of the development by Italian American homeowners. The brick bungalow at 96 Winter served as the residence of Archangelo and Amelia Dondero, the first Italians to own a business in downtown Reno (“The Northerner” saloon on Center Street, now part of Harrah’s). The two-story building behind the house, at 98 Winter, was a boarding house for Italian immigrant railroad workers.
Lora J. Knight House, 615 Jones, is a magnificent home and matching cottage that was built in 1931 by a prominent Southern California philanthropist. Mrs. Knight, who also built the Vikingsholm mansion at Lake Tahoe, accommodated guests here before they made the long journey to Lake Tahoe. Over the years, it has been remodeled extensively and is currently used as offices.
St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 310 West Second, is an impressive cathedral built in 1907 and rebuilt in 1910 after a fire. It utilizes a blending of architectural styles, including Renaissance, Classical and Baroque and remains in use as a Catholic Church.
Unfortunately, “A Walk-Through Time: The Historic Powning’s Addition in Reno, Nevada,” is out of print but it can occasionally be found on online used bookseller sites.
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