As an amateur photographer and writer, a graduate of the University of Nevada, and a former resident of Reno, I assumed I would find great pleasure in combing through the composition of someone who has made a career out of compiling and organizing historical information about the area. I was not disappointed.

Donnelyn Curtis is the Director of Research Collection & Services and head of Special Collections at the University of Nevada, Reno Libraries, where she has been a librarian since 1998. She embarked upon the painstaking task of compiling some of the most poignant and compelling black and white photographs, complete with text and captions, that Reno historians have meticulously gathered over the years. The combination of context and imagery provides a window into the raw soul of a city that has weathered a a rich and sorted past.

The images, text and captions are organized in distinct periods:

• Hub of the Mining Boom (1868-1909)
• Emerging Playground (1910 – 1949)
• New Approaches to Economic Development (1930-1949)
• Growing and Thriving (1950-1979)

The “Biggest Little City in the World” has always taken an unconventional approach. Long before Las Vegas, Reno, Nevada was referred to as “sin city.” Gambling, prize-fighting, prostitution, and divorce were prevalent. There was a certain lawlessness that attracted people to Reno. Adversely, since Reno’s beginning a strong, moral community of men and women have carved out their lives against the beautiful backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the Truckee River which rolls through the center of town. These lawless and law-abiding factions contributed to a menagerie of people and pursuits that have defined the course of Reno’s creation and expansion. There are so many facets to Reno, Nevada, and “Historic Photos of Reno” brings that to light.

It is eery, exciting, and educational to follow your way through the pages and see the history of the city of Reno, Nevada unfold. Curtis digs up forgotten people and places that stare up at you from the pages and remind you all things change and human time is fleeting. The photographs project personality and feeling that speaks a thousand words. You will look into the eyes of both ordinary and exceptional individuals that contributed to the uniqueness of Reno’s identity. You will learn for whom the city was named after, how it got its start, and what carried it forward into the modern age.

What is it about us that loves to peer into the past? I for one saw so many similarities to where Reno was and is now. Entrepreneurs and motivated minds working hard to reinvent the city and carry it forward into the future. A relentless desire for a new and improved identity, and yet, a strong connection to a proud history and the land it was built on.

Curtis will be doing a book signing at signing at the Meadow Wood Court Barnes & Noble on June 14th from 2-4pm. Get out and pick up a signed copy. It is the good storytellers who give us greater context.

Anyone that has ever been in an accident knows when an air bag deploys it can be a lot like getting punched in the face. As I began to collect myself and determine whether I was severely injured or not my first thought was – I’m going to be hit from behind! Fortunately, the other cars behind me had been able to stop in time. The inside of the car smelled strongly of gun powder, the windshield was smashed, and the entire passenger side was caved in.

I got out of the car half expecting to not be able to stand, or for blood to suddenly start spurting forth from some area of my body, but I was fine. I nervously scanned the hillside wondering if any other boulders might suddenly decide to dislodge themselves but none came. I took note that my kayak was no longer on top of the car, not that I particularly cared at that moment, but my eyes soon fell upon it on the other side of the road. It had shot off the top of the car, careened across the oncoming lanes of traffic, and somehow managed not to cause another accident.

The police soon arrived, and the first comment I received was, “Boy, you are lucky to be alive.” The  second thing they told me was that there had been an earthquake of a magnitude 5.0. I never felt it.

The section of I-80 between Reno and Truckee is a dangerous one for many reasons. As the area continues to experience more tremors, and even faces a potentially much larger earthquake, keep this story in mind if you are driving this section of road. There are a lot of exposed hillsides containing countless boulders that are precipitously placed for a quick fall, and trust me, you don’t want to hit one.

Vegas has their slogan, “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas;” and good for them. Reno should get something going like, Go Big in the Biggest Little City or Go Home…because that is exactly what these guys did.

I love the fact that Reno as a city can pull off something like this. I mean where else are you going to see some guys base jumping off of a giant ramp located on top of a tall building with skis on? Warren Miller should be proud. 

Of course, the video speaks for itself, and you can check out more base jumping videos here. I just hope this means Reno-Tahoe is going to have a ripping ski season because I am praying for snow.

Also, here are some sicko pics courtesy of the RSCVA.

I have been operating in some state of denial. Refusing to accept that I would have to say goodbye (for now) to the Sierras, to Tahoe, to Reno, to the West, and to all the friends I have had the pleasure of encountering within these realms. After almost 10 wonderful years of western exploration and experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world, I am heading East to support my wife in a career move that we could not refuse.

Julia was offered a job by the New York Times to head up their online initiatives out of their regional office in Tampa, Florida. It is what she has worked towards all these years, and I am supporting her just as she would do the same for me.

I heard a funny comment yesterday, “Tampa is a place for newlyweds and nearly deads.” Whether or not that is true, I can tell you the highest point in Florida is 250 feet. No mountains, no snow, no big beautiful whitewater rivers. What it does have, which a kayaking friend so eloquently put is, “atmospheric conditions at flood stage.” In other words, high humidity.

I will have to draw balance from the beaches and the water and the practice of discovering new places not yet seen or experienced. Fortunately, I grew up surfing, so I will be making frequent trips to the Atlantic side to try and feed my insatiable outdoor enthusiasm.

The other great positive is that I will be staying on with Twelve Horses. It is a web technology company composed of many smart and connected cohorts who telecommute from all over the globe. I will certainly miss the day-to-day interaction with all of my colleagues in the Reno office, but I suspect that I will be back for business from time to time. Our CEO, David LaPlante even suggested I leave my powder skis at his house.   

Still, it will be hard to fill the void. Even now I am overwhelmed with emotion as I contemplate my impending departure. My house is empty, my car is packed, and 2,800 miles away my wife awaits my arrival.

A picture from my final night in Reno taken in the backyard of what is no longer my house. Aside from the sunset, what else do you immediately notice? Trees. Reno is not a desolate desert devoid of life. It is a place with a subtle charm and beauty and a lot of promise. It has been a great base camp for me, and I will certainly miss it. Goodbye!

This past Friday might have been a turning point for me. I found myself out at the Lakeridge golf course for the A2N2 annual golf tournament. My friend and colleague, TJ Crawford lent me some clubs and took me under his proverbial wing to show me the finer art of what constitutes a real golf swing, as opposed to stepping up to the plate for some grass and window removal work.

By the end of the day I felt like I was really progressing. There might actually be something to this golfing thing. Who knows, it might even be time to include a bag of golf clubs to my arsenal of outdoor accoutrements. Or was it the alcohol?

Here is a little video I put together of our day.

I have a graduate degree from the University of Nevada, and I have lived and owned a home in Reno for three years now. I’m digging it. But if you took away Lake Tahoe? Hmmmm. That would make things a little tough. Of course, that is not the case, but it is certainly one of the reasons why entities like the RSCVA refer to the region as Reno-Tahoe. Its close proximity is a major asset to living here; and there are many more. Still, negative perceptions regarding Reno persist.

A friend of mine flew down to San Jose yesterday for business, and he headed into the hotel bar to wind down from a long day. He sat next to a rather large ad exec, and they struck up a conversation. The man asked, “Where are you from?” My friend replied, “Reno,” and the man immediately countered with, “I’m sorry to hear that.” Without hesitation my friend sarcastically replied, “Yeah, it sucks, you should definitely not go there.”

My friend’s response amuses me because it says so much with so little. I know so many people from Reno that would have immediately dove in to some long laundry list for why Reno is actually a great place to live. In part, they would have felt that it was their citizenry duty to stand up for the place they live, but the comment would have also triggered a certain amount of self-consciousness for which they would have felt compelled to defend.

My friend was not self conscious about the man’s comment, and he instead probably did more for the Reno brand than any long diatribe about its benefits. I have a suggestion for anyone here in Reno encountering this kind of negativity. Politely give the individual directions to the nearest I-80 onramp.

But I don’t.

Tuesday night more than 100 of us  gathered at 210 North to kickoff the first meeting for the new Reno-Tahoe Young Professional Network. It was fun and I got to meet a lot of people that I had never met. 

I wrote about the purpose of the organization on the Twelve Horses Blog, but suffice to say there are some exciting plans and lots of positive energy.

I hope it goes far.

There is an upcoming kickoff party that will be held at 210 North on April 5th from 7-10:00pm. If you are a young professional and interested in getting involved with YPN then you should come.

tags: reno tahoe ypn young professional network

This is a picture of me and Dan Oster, a fellow University of Nevada-Reno MBA graduate, at the Directions 2007 event. This is the post I wrote for Twelve Horses, my employer about Directions.

Directions 2007

Described as, “Northern Nevada’s largest economic forum,” the 15th Annual Directions was held yesterday at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

Hosted by the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN),  the purpose of Directions is to look back at what the region has accomplished, develop a better understanding of where the region is going, and determine what can be improved upon.

Last year, attendees of Directions 2006 were made aware of the lack of talented young working professionals in the region. Many natives either leave after college, or we fail to attract those from other areas. This is a problem that can have far reaching economic implications for Northern Nevada. This year everyone gathered to see if we had made any progress.

Social Networking

The event is always attended by many of the region’s business and government leaders, so aside from determining how the region can be improved, it is also a great place for social networking.

Twelve Horses was a gold sponsor and had a booth on the exhibit floor. It was a chance to interact with more than 800 attendees, as well as show support for the Chamber and EDAWN.

Jobs in Northern Nevada

Northern Nevada provides a considerable amount of the employees and infrastructure Twelve Horses needs to be successful. The efforts of these two organizations have played a significant role in attracting new talent to the region, developing an environment conducive to business, and providing a compass in the form of:

• Survey data
• Competitive analysis of other markets
• Effective strategies for business and government
• Opportunities for collaboration

Young Professional Network (YPN)

A new group was announced at the event named, YPN or the Young Professional Network. It has been created to address the workforce shortage, as well as cultivate and retain young professionals in  Northern Nevada. This announcement was to serve as a major focal point of the entire conference – we must attract and retain young talent – and this message resonated throughout the agenda. It ties into:

• Education and the University of Nevada-Reno
• Redevelopment of Downtown Reno, Sparks, and Carson City
• Fostering a creative and exciting business environment that provides competitive benefits
• Outbound marketing for the region

What do Reno, Sparks, and Carson City have planned?

Attendees received a very good overview of the urban plans for the cities of Reno, Sparks and Carson City. In each case, they have applied careful consideration in determining the right ratios of anchor points, public spaces, and traffic flow. To echo Michael Freedman, Urban Designer, ”focus on one small area as an engine of redevelopment.” For Reno, it has clearly been and will continually to be the Truckee River.

 Reno, Nevada

Charles McNeely, Reno City Manager gave a very eloquent and informative presentation about the future of downtown Reno. He did not say anything that hasn’t already been covered on Downtown Makeover and Reno and its Discontents, but not everybody reads blogs. Additionally, it was good to hear more of the reasoning behind much of it.

The influx of new condos in downtown Reno clearly represents a concerted effort to stimulate other new businesses to move in as well. The City also has plans to extend the whitewater park, add new lighting and trees, build an elaborate ice rink cover, and turn the post office into a mixed-use building.

At the VIP luncheon following the conference, I could not help but ask Charles McNeely when we are one, getting free Wi-Fi in Wingfield Park and two, what plans does the city have in applying greater green building standards into new developments. Answers to both questions were positive, and to the latter he cited David Bobzien as a catalyst – a legislator that is not afraid to discuss the environment.

Sparks, Nevada

Think of Sparks as becoming an ”urban village” with the Regional Transportation Committee (RTC) providing synergy between various Reno and Sparks destination centers. The plans for the District of Victorian Square and the Sparks Marina are impressive, and there was even a hint of AAA sports complex.

Carson City, Nevada

Carson City will reclaim downtown and create a “vibrant commerce center” once the new highway 395 project is complete. The 4-lane artery that runs through downtown will be brought down to two, and there will be ample parking and opportunities to shop, eat at restaurants and enjoy open spaces.

Redevelopment as it relates to Workforce

Making Northern Nevada a better place to live will keep employees here, attract new ones, and further stimulate Northern Nevada’s economy. Directions 2007 demonstrated that we are headed in the right direction but still have much work to do. Smart growth and smart development are key ingredients as we go head-to-head with many other competing cities within the United States, but it also requires support for the University and local schools, as well as individual responsibility for the development of our children and our own personal growth.

It is certainly exciting to consider the possibilities, and I do not think there was one person at Directions who wasn’t optimistic about the future of Northern Nevada.