Located on the north side of the Truckee River near a circular outdoor plaza is a bronze plaque monumented on a retaining wall facing the Truckee River. This relief map highlights former locations of historical interest that were once located near and along the Truckee River. It reads:
THE TRUCKEE RIVER
FLOWING OUT OF THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS TO THE WEST, THE TRUCKEE RIVER IS RENO'S MOST STRIKING NATURAL AND HISTORICAL FEATURE. SHOWN BELOW ON A RELIEF MAP OF THE SURROUNDING RENO AREA ARE A FEW OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL SITES NEAR THE RIVER.
1. CHINATOWN. THIS SECTION OF RENO WAS INHABITED BY THE CITY'S ORIENTAL POPULATION FROM 1869 TO AROUND 1920. (Today, this area is mainly an empty lot)
2. RENO GAS WORKS. ESTABLISHED IN 1876, THE PLANT ON THIS SITE PRODUCED ILLUMINATING GAS FOR RENO THROUGH 1890. (This site is now part of the City Plaza as well as a commercial building)
3. THE ALHAMBRA. A FORMER GRIST MILL, THIS STRUCTURE LATER BECAME A SALOON AND LODGING HOUSE. RENO'S FIRST SCHOOL OPENED HERE IN THE FALL OF 1868 AND EARLY CLERGYMEN HELD SERVICES HERE. (The buildings that stand here now are home to Reno's Masonic Lodge #13, built in 1953 and 1967. You can see a historical photo of the former Masonic Lodge before it burned down in a devastating fire in 1955.)
4. THE LAKE HOUSE. A WAY STATION FOUNDED BY MYRON C. LAKE IN 1862. IT LATER DEVELOPED INTO THE RIVERSIDE HOTEL. LAKE DONATED LAND FOR A DEPOT AND TOWNSITE WHEN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC RAILROAD CAME THROUGH THE TRUCKEE CANYON. HE IS CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF RENO. (The Riverside Hotel building still stands today and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and currently home to apartments and commercial space.)
5. LAKE'S TOLL BRIDGE. THE MAIN CROSSING OF THE TRUCKEE RIVER ON THE HONEY LAKE TOLL ROAD. 1862-1877 (The Virginia Street Bridge resides here now, erected in 1905-06, and the third bridge to be built at the site. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 but is soon to be demolished and replaced with a modern arch bridge to withstand future flood waters that occasionally hit downtown Reno when the Truckee River overflows.)
6. WASHOE COUNTY COURTHOUSE. FOLLOWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RENO AS THE COUNTY SEAT OF WASHOE COUNTY IN 1871, THE FIRST COURTHOUSE WAS BUILT ON THIS SITE. (This site is currently home to the Washoe County Courthouse, built in 1910, and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.)
7. BELLE ISLE/WINGFIELD PARK. IN 1911 AN AMUSEMENT PARK AND DANCE PAVILLION WAS BUILT ON THIS SITE. KNOWN AS BELLE ISLE, IT WAS A COMMUNITY CULTURAL AND RECREATIONAL CENTER. IN 1920, FINANCIER GEORGE WINGFIELD DONATED THE PROPERTY TO THE CITY AS A PARK SITE. (Wingfield Park still resides here today and has an amphitheater and grassy areas for sun and play.)
8. SIGHT OF EUGENE ELY'S FLIGHT. ON JULY 4, 1911, THE FAMOUS AVIATOR EUGENE ELY MADE ONE OF THE EARLIEST EXHIBITION FLIGHTS IN RENO'S HISTORY AT THIS SITE. (Today, this site is home to Barbara Bennett Park and contains basketball and tennis courts for the public's enjoyment.)
9. OLD VIRGINIA AND TRUCKEE RAILROAD BRIDGE. CONSTRUCTED IN 1871, THIS BRIDGE WAS PART OF THE FAMOUS V. AND T. SHORTLINE RAILROAD CONNECTING RENO WITH CARSON CITY AND THE COMSTOCK LODE. (Today, this railroad bridge no longer exists and the road has been split by the Truckee River into N Rock St on the north and Museum Dr on the south.)
PRESENTED BY THE ROTARY CLUB OF RENO 1979