Reno Now and Then

    Reno is one of few towns in Nevada that was never a boom-and-bust mining camp. Sitting astride the Truckee River and the main road from the northern California mining camps, in its early days it offered travelers crude shelter and a bridge across the river. With the coming of the first transcontinental railroad in 1868, it was also situated along a major cross-country route. Positioned in this manner, Reno became a thriving distribution center for ranching and mining, by way of the river, roads, and railroads. It retains some of that character today, but since the 1950s, its economy has been dominated by the casino gaming industry.
    Through historic photos and contemporary re-photography of selected locations, the authors of this book hope to illustrate the tension between growth and stability that characterizes Reno. Over ten years ago at a gathering of the Westerners Nevada Corral, Neal Cobb and Jerry Fenwick formed a partnership dedicated to presenting history in an interesting, informative, and accurate manner. Both had given historical presentations to various groups, and it was natural for them to join forces. In response to a request from the Historic Reno Preservation Society, the authors put together a program about Reno’s past and present, titling it “Reno Now and Then.” Over the years the authors regularly updated and presented this talk, along with others, to enthusiastic audiences both young and old.
    At the urging of friends and program attendees, the authors decided to compile this book, with a title that represents where it all began—Reno Now and Then. Most of the pictures included in these pages will be new to the reader; one was even unknown to the various local historical groups and societies. It is the hope of the authors that Reno residents will remember fondly some of the scenes depicted, that newcomers will obtain a better understanding of the town they now call home, and that those who have not yet visited Reno will gain some insight into the community through these images.

Reno Now and Then. Reno: UNOHP, 2008. (hardcover, 160 pages, full-color and black-and-white illustrations, $29.95)