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76-528: William F. Harrah collected approximately 1,450 automobiles, which he stored inside warehouses in Sparks, Nevada . It was the world's largest collection of historic automobiles, and was open to the public. When Harrah died in 1978, Holiday Inn acquired his hotel-casino company and the automobile collection. In 1981, Holiday Inn announced that it would sell the entire collection, a decision that received some opposition. Nevada governor Robert List attempted to delay

152-608: A hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csa ) to the west. It experiences moderately cold winters and hot summers; it is influenced by the Sierra Nevada mountains to the west and the more arid Great Basin to the east. It is situated across a varied geographic landscape, which extends from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada into the Truckee River valley. While Reno experiences a rain shadow effect from

228-754: A metropolitan area that covers Storey and Washoe counties. The MSA had a combined population of 425,417 at the 2010 census . There is an Italian-American community in Reno. Until the 1960s, Reno was the gambling capital of the United States, but Las Vegas' rapid growth, American Airlines ' 2000 buyout of Reno Air , and the growth of Native American gaming in California have reduced its gambling economy. Older casinos were torn down ( Mapes Hotel , Fitzgerald's Nevada Club , Primadonna, Horseshoe Club, Harold's Club , Palace Club), or smaller casinos like

304-418: A " Jerrari ", a Jeep Wagoneer fitted with a V-12 Ferrari engine and formerly used for winter driving by William F. Harrah, and the only surviving prototype of Buckminster Fuller 's Dymaxion car . The one-of-a-kind Phantom Corsair is also displayed at the museum. The museum has been named in the 'Top Ten Museums' by Car Collector magazine, one of "America's Five Greatest Automobile Museums" and one of

380-501: A " Washoe Zephyr ", can develop in the Sierra Nevada, causing air to be pulled down in the Sierra Nevada and Reno, destroying or preventing thunderstorms, but the same wind can push air upward against the Virginia Range and other mountain ranges east of Reno, creating powerful thunderstorms. Winter snowfall is usually light to moderate, but can be heavy some days, averaging 20.9 inches (53 cm) annually. Snowfall varies with

456-421: A divorce case to be present in court, and men often could not take that much time off from work. Although new "residents" seeking divorce were required to swear under oath that they intended to make Nevada their permanent home, most left soon after obtaining their divorce decree, which often occurred on the same day as the initial court hearing. In addition to tens of thousands of ordinary people, Reno also became

532-504: A few years, the Bank Club, owned by George Wingfield , Bill Graham, and Jim McKay, was the state's largest employer and the largest casino in the world. Wingfield owned most of the buildings in town that housed gaming and took a percentage of the profits, along with his rent. As the divorce industry declined, gambling became the major Reno industry. While gaming pioneers such as "Pappy" and Harold Smith of Harold's Club and Bill Harrah of

608-404: A film producer on such features as Anaconda . When the car his father bought him was stolen and stripped, Harrah vowed to his sister that one day he would own a duplicate of every automobile the family had ever owned. Harrah had an extensive collection of cars. Many of his cars enjoyed 'best' or 'one-of-a kind' status. Some notable items of his collection were the two Bugatti Type 41s ,

684-437: A major destination for celebrities, and the very wealthy looking to end their marriages as quickly as possible. Some of the many famous personages who got divorced in Reno include Mary Pickford , Jack Dempsey , General Douglas MacArthur , Carol Lombard , Tallulah Bankhead , Adlai Stevenson II , Lana Turner , Nelson Rockefeller , Georges Simenon , Rita Hayworth , Gloria Vanderbilt and Cornelius Vanderbilt IV . The latter

760-546: A new major technology center in the United States. Reno is just east of the Sierra Nevada , on the western edge of the Great Basin at an elevation of about 4,400 feet (1,300 m) above sea level . Numerous faults exist throughout the region. Most of these are normal (vertical motion) faults associated with the uplift of the various mountain ranges, including the Sierra Nevada. In February 2008, an earthquake swarm began to occur, lasting for several months, with

836-516: A state of emergency was declared. The fires came at the end of Reno's longest recorded dry spell. Wetlands are an important part of the Reno/Tahoe area. They act as a natural filter for the solids that come out of the water treatment plant. Plant roots absorb nutrients from the water and naturally filter it. Wetlands are home to over 75% of the species in the Great Basin . The area's wetlands are at risk of being destroyed due to development around

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912-412: Is 108 °F (42 °C), which occurred on July 10 and 11, 2002, again on July 5, 2007, and again on July 16, 2023. The all-time record low temperature is −17 °F (−27 °C), which occurred on January 21, 1916; the lowest temperature recorded at the airport is −16 °F (−27 °C), which occurred on four occasions, most recently on February 7, 1989. In addition, the region is windy throughout

988-650: Is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada , along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County . Sitting in the High Eastern Sierra foothills, in the Truckee River valley, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada, it is about 23 miles (37 km) northeast of Lake Tahoe . Known as "The Biggest Little City in the World", it

1064-442: Is an outdoor recreation destination, due to its proximity to the Sierra Nevada, Lake Tahoe , and numerous ski resorts in the region. In 2018, the city officially changed its flag after a local contest was held. In recent years, the Reno metro area − spurred by large-scale investments from Greater Seattle and San Francisco Bay Area companies such as Amazon , Tesla , Panasonic , Microsoft , Apple , and Google − has become

1140-653: Is further diversifying a region that was best known for distribution and logistics outside gaming and tourism. Switch 's new SUPERNAP campus at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center is shaping up to be the largest data center in the world once completed. Apple is expanding its data center at the adjacent Reno Technology Park and recently built a warehouse on land in downtown Reno. The greater Reno area also hosts distribution facilities for Amazon , Walmart , PetSmart and Zulily . According to Reno's 2023 Fiscal Year Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,

1216-462: Is linked by a themed "street", featuring vehicles as well as faux shop fronts. Celebrity owned cars include: Movie featured cars include: The collection includes examples from marques such as: Auburn , Bugatti , Cord , Duesenberg , Ferrari , Franklin , Jaguar , K-R-I-T , McLaren , Mercedes-Benz , Pierce-Arrow , Porsche , Rolls-Royce , and Stutz . Also on display is one of three 24 kt gold plated DeLoreans built for American Express ,

1292-652: Is often subject to wildfires that cause property damage and sometimes loss of life. In August 1960, the Donner Ridge fire resulted in a loss of electricity to the city for four days. In November 2011, arcing from powerlines caused a fire in Caughlin in southwest Reno that destroyed 26 homes and killed one man. Just two months later, a fire in Washoe Drive sparked by fireplace ashes destroyed 29 homes and killed one woman. Around 10,000 residents were evacuated, and

1368-594: Is part of the Reno–Sparks metropolitan area , the second-most populous metropolitan area in Nevada after the Las Vegas Valley . Known as Greater Reno, it includes Washoe, Storey , and Lyon Counties; the independent city and state capital Carson City ; and parts of Placer and Nevada Counties in California. The Reno metro area (along with the neighboring city Sparks ) occupies a valley colloquially known as

1444-588: Is the 80th most populous city in the United States , the 3rd most populous city in Nevada , and the most populous in Nevada outside the Las Vegas Valley . The city had a population of 264,165 at the 2020 census . The city is named after Civil War Union Major General Jesse L. Reno , who was killed in action during the American Civil War at the Battle of South Mountain , on Fox's Gap. Reno

1520-472: Is the location of the corporate headquarters for several companies, including Braeburn Capital , Hamilton, Server Technology , EE Technologies , Caesars Entertainment , and Port of Subs . Companies based in the Reno metropolitan area include Sierra Nevada Corporation and U.S. Ordnance . International Game Technology , Bally Technologies and GameTech have a development and manufacturing presence. Since

1596-515: The Battle of South Mountain . In 1871, Reno became the county seat of the newly expanded Washoe County, replacing the county seat in Washoe City . However, political power in Nevada remained with the mining communities, first Virginia City and later Tonopah and Goldfield . The extension of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad to Reno in 1872 provided a boost to the new city's economy. In

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1672-533: The Comstock , Sundowner , Golden Phoenix , Kings Inn , Money Tree, Virginian, and Riverboat were either closed or were converted into residential units. Because of its location, Reno has traditionally drawn the majority of its California tourists and gamblers from the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento while Las Vegas has historically served more tourists from Southern California and

1748-463: The Phantom Corsair , two Ferraris and a pair of Jerrari Wagoneers. In 1966 his Bugatti Type 41 Coupe de Ville won Best of Show at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance . He also won the competition in 1963, 1964 and 1976. As well as cars, Harrah owned a Ford Trimotor , early airliner. After Bill Harrah's death, Holiday Inn acquired Harrah's , including the car collection. The bulk of

1824-782: The Phoenix area. Several local large hotel casinos have shown significant growth and have moved gaming further away from the downtown core. These larger hotel casinos are the Atlantis , the Peppermill and the Grand Sierra Resort . The Peppermill was chosen as the most outstanding Reno gaming/hotel property by Casino Player and Nevada magazines. In 2005, the Peppermill Reno began a $ 300 million Tuscan -themed expansion. Reno holds several events throughout

1900-570: The Tahoe Reno Industrial Center is one of the largest buildings in the country, purportedly covering 5.8 million square feet. Although it was originally Tesla's largest factory, it's since been superseded by Gigafactory Texas , which has 10 million square feet. It employs roughly 11,000 people, making Tesla larger than any employer in the city of Reno, though the Industrial Center is located just outside of

1976-551: The Truckee Meadows . For much of the twentieth century Reno saw a significant number of migrants seeking to take advantage of Nevada's relatively lax divorce laws and the city gained a national reputation as a divorce mill . Today Reno is a tourist destination known for its casino gambling and proximity to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountains . Archaeological finds place the eastern border for

2052-519: The diurnal temperature variation occasionally reaching 40 °F (22 °C) in summer, still lower than much of the high desert to the east. There are 6.0 days of 100 °F (38 °C)+ highs, 65 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs, 1.6 days with 70 °F (21 °C)+ lows, and 1.9 days with sub-10 °F (−12 °C) lows annually; the temperature reaches or dips below the freezing point on 122 days, and does not rise above freezing on only 4.1 of those days. The all-time record high temperature

2128-401: The Bank Club and Palace Club that had dominated gaming in Reno. As the locals expected, his tiny Tango bingo parlor closed up fast, lasting only until November the 15th. In July 1938 Harrah opened another bingo parlor, this time closer to the action, called Harrah's Plaza Tango. Virgil Smith was the main financier and a partner in the operation, and also in the club that opened in 1938, called

2204-484: The California Trail, Charles W. Fuller built a log toll bridge across the Truckee River in 1859. A small community that served travelers soon grew near the bridge. After two years, Fuller sold the bridge to Myron C. Lake, who continued to develop the community by adding a grist mill, kiln, and livery stable to the hotel and eating house. He renamed it "Lake's Crossing". Most of what is present-day western Nevada

2280-663: The Nevada Gaming Control Board in 1955, an organization designed to regulate gaming in Nevada. In 1959, Harrah helped create an even stronger Gaming Commission to rid the state's casinos of corruption. Harrah was known for his relations with both his customers and employees. The main theater in Harrah's Reno, originally called the Headliner Room, was renamed Sammy's Showroom after entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. (whose Duesenberg replica now resides in

2356-484: The New York-based female protagonist tells a friend, "I am going to Reno," which was understood as declaring their intention to get a divorce. The divorce business eventually died out during the 1970s, as other states began relaxing their laws, and especially with the widespread introduction of no fault divorce . Reno took a leap forward when the state of Nevada legalized open gambling on March 19, 1931, at

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2432-512: The Plaza Tango at 14 East Commercial Row. Two months later Harrah found a better location at 242 North Virginia Street, close to Harolds Club, called Ed Howe's Tango Club. After a meeting with Nick Abelman, Bill Graham, and Jim McKay, Harrah waited to be accepted into the Reno gaming fraternity. Eventually, Cal Custer, a respected ex-bootlegger and a long-time confidant of John Harrah, stood up for Bill. His new business ventures were given

2508-490: The age of 66, during a cardiac surgery operation to repair an aortic aneurysm . He left an estate valued at $ 138 million which was split into two trusts, one for his wife Verna and one for his sons. The William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas , which opened in 1967, was renamed in his honor in 1989, in recognition of a $ 5 million gift from his widow. Harrah also used

2584-537: The arch as a permanent downtown gateway, and Mayor E.E. Roberts asked the citizens of Reno to suggest a slogan for the arch. No acceptable slogan was received until a $ 100 prize was offered, and G.A. Burns of Sacramento was declared the winner on March 14, 1929, with "Reno, the Biggest Little City in the World". In the early twentieth century Nevada became a popular destination for migratory divorce in an era when most states had highly restrictive laws on

2660-414: The business. He then headed down to the pier and fired the shills. In the course of just three years Harrah made the $ 100-a-week game into a $ 25,000 per year business. However, Harrah grew tired of fighting the politicians and wanted to expand his operations into Reno . On October 29, 1937, he opened his first club at 124 North Center Street, called Harrah's Club Bingo. The location was two blocks from

2736-466: The city's estimated median household income was $ 44,846, and the median family income was $ 53,896. Males had a median income of $ 42,120 versus $ 31,362 for females. The city's per capita income was $ 25,041. About 9.6% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.1% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over. The population was 180,480 at the 2000 census ; in 2010, its population had risen to 225,221, making it

2812-530: The city, and an ensuing fire, destroyed five buildings in the vicinity of Sierra and First Streets along the Truckee River. The disaster killed two people and injured 49. The first explosion hit under the block of shops on the west side of Sierra Street (now the site of the Century Riverside), the second, across Sierra Street, now the site of the Palladio. The presence of a main east–west rail line,

2888-402: The city. In 2023 Tesla announced a $ 3.6 billion expansion of the facility that would incorporate an additional four million square feet, including an all-new plant for Semis and a much larger one for battery development. The new facilities are expected to add up to 3,000 new Tesla employees to the region upon completion. The arrival of several data centers at the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center

2964-424: The city. The population density was 2,186.6 inhabitants per square mile (844.3/km ). There were 102,582 housing units at an average density of 995.9 per square mile (384.5/km ). The city's racial makeup was 74.2% White , 2.9% African American , 1.3% Native American , 6.3% Asian , 0.7% Pacific Islander , 10.5% some other race , and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 24.3% of

3040-430: The city. While developers build on top of the wetlands they fill them with soil, destroying the habitat they create for the plants and animals. Washoe County has devised a plan that will help protect these ecosystems: mitigation. In the future, when developers try to build over a wetland, they will be responsible for creating another wetland near Washoe Lake. Reno has a cold semi-arid climate ( Köppen : BSk ), bordering

3116-761: The collection was sold at several auctions between 1984 and 1986, garnering more than $ 100 million. An outcry by the people of Reno and Sparks led to Holiday Inn donating 175 vehicles to establish the William F. Harrah Automobile Museum in downtown Reno , Nevada . Some of the cars were donated to form the Imperial Palace Auto Collection in Las Vegas . Harrah died at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, at

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3192-475: The east, meanwhile, can receive more summer thunderstorms and precipitation, and around twice as much annual snowfall above 5,500 feet (1,700 m). However, snowfall increases in the Virginia Range are less dramatic as elevation climbs than in the Carson Range to the west, because the Virginia Range is well within the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada and Carson Range. The most snowfall in Reno in one winter

3268-583: The emerging interstate highway system, favorable state tax climate, and relatively inexpensive land created good conditions for warehousing and distribution of goods. In the 1980s, Indian gaming rules were relaxed, and starting in 2000, Californian Native casinos began to cut into Reno casino revenues. Major new construction projects have been completed in the Reno and Sparks areas. A few new luxury communities were built in Truckee, California , about 28 miles (45 km) west of Reno on Interstate 80 . Reno also

3344-432: The following decades, Reno continued to grow and prosper as a business and agricultural center and became the principal settlement on the transcontinental railroad between Sacramento and Salt Lake City . As the mining boom waned early in the 20th century, Nevada's centers of political and business activity shifted to the nonmining communities, especially Reno and Las Vegas . Nevada is still the third-largest gold producer in

3420-513: The formidable obstacle of the Sierra Nevada began. Gold was discovered in the vicinity of Virginia City in 1850, and a modest mining community developed, but the discovery of silver in 1859 at the Comstock Lode led to a mining rush , and thousands of emigrants left their homes, bound for the West, hoping to find a fortune. To provide the necessary connection between Virginia City and

3496-492: The green light, after a cash payment was made. Ed Howe wanted $ 25,000 for his Tango Club, but accepted just $ 3,000. Over time, Harrah tried other locations and expanded his casino on Virginia Street several times. A hotel tower opened in 1969. At Lake Tahoe, Harrah purchased George's Gateway Club in 1955 to expand his empire. Harrah-owned properties included the Lake Club on the lake side of highway 50, Harrah's Tahoe, on

3572-430: The knot". From the 1930s through the 1960s Reno became synonymous with speedy divorce, often referred to colloquially as "the six week cure". During these decades the city's reputation drew thousands of divorcees annually, and they in turn became an important part of the local economy. These temporary residents flocked to hotels, boardinghouses , and hospitality ranches , many of which catered primarily to those waiting out

3648-815: The largest quake registering at 4.9 on the Richter magnitude scale , although some geologic estimates put it at 5.0. The earthquakes were centered on the Somersett community in western Reno near Mogul and Verdi . Many homes in these areas were damaged. The unique high desert geological features cause many to "describe Nevada as a rockhound's paradise .... access to millions of acres of government land" allows geologists, miners, and amateur rockhounds in Nevada "to hunt to your heart's content .... being able to find agate, opal, jasper, fossils, fluorescent minerals, obsidian, chalcedony, wonderstone, malachite, petrified wood, limb casts, and much more means paradise." The Reno area

3724-523: The lowest amounts (roughly 19–23 inches annually) at the lowest part of the valley at and east of the airport at 4,404 feet (1,342 m), while the foothills of the Carson Range to the west ranging from 4,700 to 5,600 feet (1,400 to 1,700 m) in elevation just a few miles west of downtown can receive two to three times as much annual snowfall. The mountains of the Virginia Range to

3800-433: The mid-1980s. Private owners donated another 60 vehicles. The museum opened on November 5, 1989 in downtown Reno , Nevada . The museum has over 200 cars spread over four galleries. Gallery 1 showcases cars built during the 1890s & 1900s, Gallery 2 features cars from the 1910s to 1930s, Gallery 3 the 1930s through to the 1950s, and Gallery 4 displays cars from 1950 onward. Gallery 4 also includes race cars . Each gallery

3876-517: The most precipitation in one month was 5.57 inches (141.5 mm) in January 2017 and the most precipitation in 24 hours was 2.29 inches (58.2 mm) on January 21, 1943. Most rainfall occurs in winter and spring. Summer thunderstorms can occur between April and October. The eastern side of town and the mountains east of Reno tend to be prone to thunderstorms more often, and these storms may be severe because an afternoon downslope west wind, called

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3952-694: The mountain side at the old Stateline Country Club . The hotel tower opened in 1973. Harrah also owned the Zephyr Cove restaurant past Cave Rock which offered slots and blackjack. Harrah expanded to Las Vegas in 1973 by purchasing the Holiday Casino on the Las Vegas Strip from Shelby and Claudine Williams. The property was close to the successful Sands Casino and across from where the Mirage now stands. Harrah used his influence to create

4028-682: The museum that bears Harrah's name), and actor-comedian Bill Cosby recalls Harrah as a good friend. Harrah was married seven times to six women, including a four-month marriage to the singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry in 1969; the sugar baby relationship was alluded to in Gentry's fictionalized account of her life, " Fancy ," in which a "benevolent man" (Harrah) takes in an impoverished Southern prostitute (Gentry). With ex-wife Scherry (whom he married twice), he adopted two boys named John and Tony. He had one birth child, Jeanie Eiliene Sexton Harrah, with Marvel Tudor in 1956. His widow, Verna , worked as

4104-452: The population. Non-Hispanic Whites were 62.5% of the population in 2010, down from 88.5% in 1980. At the 2010 census, there were 90,924 households, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.4% were headed by married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.8% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% were someone living alone who

4180-574: The prehistoric Martis people in the Reno area. As early as the mid-1850s, a few pioneers settled in the Truckee Meadows , a relatively fertile valley through which the Truckee River made its way from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake . In addition to subsistence farming , these early residents could pick up business from travelers along the California Trail , which followed the Truckee westward, before branching off towards Donner Lake , where

4256-437: The sale while working on a plan to have the state enact legislation that would save the collection. Businessman Thomas Perkins led a group that was interested in purchasing the collection. Both efforts to save the collection failed. However, a nonprofit organization was formed that ultimately built the museum. Holiday Inn donated 175 of Harrah's automobiles to the group and sold the rest of the collection through three auctions in

4332-515: The same time as it liberalized its divorce laws. The statewide push for legal Nevada gaming was led by Reno entrepreneur Bill Graham, who owned the Bank Club Casino in Reno, which was on Center Street. No other state offered legalized casino gaming like Nevada had in the 1930s, and casinos such as the Bank Club and Palace were popular. A few states had legal parimutuel horse racing , but no other state had legal casino gambling. Within

4408-454: The six week residency requirement before their court date. Numerous local businesses openly courted these visitors, such as R. Herz & Bro , a jewelry store that offered ring resetting services to the recently divorced and the luxurious El Cortez Hotel , which was built in part to accommodate the more affluent among Reno's six week guests. The majority of those who came to Reno for divorce were women as Nevada did not require both parties in

4484-545: The son of attorney and politician John Harrah. Harrah studied mechanical engineering at UCLA where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Harrah was forced to drop out of college because of the Great Depression . He worked at various family businesses including a pool hall , a hot dog stand, a shooting gallery , and a bingo-style operation called the "Circle" or "Reno Game." Bingo

4560-402: The soon-to-dominate Harrah's Casino set up shop in the 1930s, the war years of the 1940s cemented Reno as the place to play for two decades. Beginning in the 1950s, the need for economic diversification beyond gaming fueled a movement for more lenient business taxation. At 1:03 pm, on February 5, 1957, two explosions, caused by natural gas leaking into the maze of pipes and ditches under

4636-533: The sport of Unlimited hydroplane racing to promote his businesses. In 1962, he purchased Maverick, a champion boat, and renamed it Harrah's Tahoe Miss. In 1966, Bill's third Tahoe Miss won five races, including the APBA Gold Cup, and was the national champion, driven by the late pilot Mira Slovak. In 1968, the boat's name was changed to Harrah's Club to further promote his casino holdings. Reno, Nevada Reno ( / ˈ r iː n oʊ / REE -noh )

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4712-421: The subject. Legislation passed in 1931 completed the gradual reduction of residency requirement from six months to six weeks, and Reno openly advertised itself as the "Divorce Capital of the World". Nevada's laws, which were fairly progressive for the time, allowed numerous grounds for divorce and Reno's courts quickly gained a reputation for handling cases with both celerity and sympathy for those seeking to "untie

4788-853: The surrounding mountains, its western portions can receive three to four times as much precipitation as those extending eastward. Annual rainfall patterns in Reno adhere to a Mediterranean climate, with most precipitation occurring in fall, winter, and spring, followed by long, hot, dry summers. However, Reno's average annual rainfall is slightly lower than that of Californian cities more typically associated with Mediterranean climates. The area's low evapotranspiration stemming from its moderate annual average temperature also bears similarity to semi-arid climates found in Nevada's Great Basin. The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 36.2 °F (2.3 °C) in December to 77.2 °F (25.1 °C) in July, with

4864-440: The third-largest city in the state after Las Vegas and Henderson , and the largest outside Clark County . Reno lies 26 miles (42 km) north of the Nevada state capital, Carson City , and 22 miles (35 km) northeast of Lake Tahoe in a shrub-steppe environment. Reno shares its eastern border with the city of Sparks and is the larger of the principal cities of the Reno–Sparks, Nevada Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA),

4940-553: The top sixteen auto museums in the world by AutoWeek , and has been repeatedly selected as the best museum in Northern Nevada by Nevada Magazine' s annual reader's poll. William F. Harrah William Fisk Harrah (September 2, 1911 – June 30, 1978) was an American businessman and the founder of Harrah's Hotel and Casinos, now part of Caesars Entertainment . Harrah was born in South Pasadena, California ,

5016-581: The turn of the 21st century, greater Reno saw an influx of technology companies entering the area, following major initiatives and investments by investors from Seattle & the Bay Area . The first one in 1999 was Amazon.com in Fernley . After the Great Recession , the state placed an increased focus on economic development. Thousands of new jobs were created. The Tesla Gigafactory at

5092-489: The world, after South Africa and Australia ; the state yielded 6.9% of the world's supply in 2005 world gold production. The Reno Arch was erected on Virginia Street in 1926 to promote the upcoming Transcontinental Highways Exposition of 1927. The arch included the words "Nevada's Transcontinental Highways Exposition" and the dates of the exposition. After the exposition, the Reno City Council decided to keep

5168-609: The year to draw tourists to the area. They include Hot August Nights (a classic car convention), Street Vibrations (a motorcycle fan gathering and rally), The Great Reno Balloon Race , a Cinco de Mayo celebration, bowling tournaments (held in the National Bowling Stadium ), and the Reno Air Races . Several large commercial developments were constructed during the mid-2000s boom, such as The Summit in 2007 and Legends at Sparks Marina in 2008. Reno

5244-482: The year; observers such as Mark Twain have commented about the "Washoe Zephyr", northwestern Nevada's distinctive wind. Annual precipitation has ranged from 1.55 inches (39.4 mm) in 1947 to 13.73 inches (348.7 mm) in 2017. The most precipitation in one month was 6.76 inches (171.7 mm) in January 1916 and the most precipitation in 24 hours was 2.71 inches (68.8 mm) on January 28, 1903. At Reno–Tahoe International Airport , where records go back to 1937,

5320-448: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43, and the average family size was 3.10. In the city, the 2010 population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.7 males. In 2011

5396-429: Was 72.3 inches (184 cm) in 1915–1916, with an astonishing 65.7 inches (167 cm) in January, the most in a calendar month, as well as 22.5 inches (57 cm) on January 17, the most in a calendar day; the most snowfall in a calendar year was 82.3 inches (209 cm) in 1916. See or edit raw graph data . As of the census of 2010, there were 225,221 people, 90,924 households, and 51,112 families residing in

5472-457: Was consolidated with Roop County , and Lake's Crossing became the county's largest town. Lake had earned himself the title "founder of Reno". Once the railroad station was established, the town of Reno officially came into being on May 9, 1868. CPRR construction superintendent Charles Crocker named the community after Major General Jesse Lee Reno , a Union officer killed in the Civil War at

5548-753: Was formed as the Nevada Territory from part of Utah Territory in 1861. By January 1863, the Central Pacific Railroad (CPRR) had begun laying tracks east from Sacramento, California , eventually connecting with the Union Pacific Railroad at Promontory, Utah , to form the First transcontinental railroad . Lake deeded land to the CPRR in exchange for its promise to build a depot at Lake's Crossing. In 1864, Washoe County

5624-533: Was illegal in California, but games of skill based on bingo were legal. The Reno Game (later called the Circle Game) involved rolling a ball down a board where it would register a card suit and number. If one of the 33 players seated in a circle around the board matched a four-card sequence, he or she won, unless they were a shill and, working for the house. (The use of shills to fill the games upset players, but John Harrah felt they were necessary.) The Reno Game

5700-499: Was married seven times and had five of his six divorces in Nevada. Mr. Vanderbilt was so taken with Reno that, unlike most migrant divorcees, he eventually settled there permanently. In the 1939 film The Women , Reno and its divorce culture serve as a backdrop to a significant part of the plot. Ernie Pyle once wrote in one of his columns, "All the people you saw on the streets in Reno were obviously there to get divorces." In Ayn Rand 's novel The Fountainhead , published in 1943,

5776-402: Was shut down several times by local authorities, but each time, lawyer John Harrah would get his permit reinstated. Still, the cost of doing business was high. When twenty-year-old Bill told his father he should get rid of the shills and put more money into the business, John challenged him to run the operation by himself. Bill said, "Dad, that would suit me just fine," and paid his father $ 500 for

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