2003 Eleven Most Endangered

1. Virginia St. Bridge

Listed in the National Register in 1980. The Virginia Street Bridge in Reno was built in 1905. It did not take long following its construction for the bridge to gain a national reputation. When Reno was known as the Divorce Capital of the World, the Virginia Street Bridge was the symbol of the trade. Known as "Wedding Ring Bridge," the Virginia Street Bridge has been the subject of national folklore that continues to the present day. The legend holds that divorcées, upon receiving their final decree from the judge, exited the Washoe County Courthouse, kissed the columns supporting the portico and proceeded post haste past the Riverside Hotel to the Virginia Street Bridge, whence they cast their wedding rings into the Truckee River. The Virginia Street Bridge is nationally significant as the subject of the folklore involving Reno's famous divorce trade. The bridge is currently seriously threatened withdemolition as a result of a Truckee River flood control project that seeks to replace three historic bridges in downtown Reno. UPDATE: Following Preserve Nevada's announcement that this historic span over the Truckee River was to be added to our 11 most endangered properties list, various interested parties were invited to a meeting with Senator Bryan as coordinator. It was decided that a bridge task force would be formed to work with all interested parties to examine the possibilities for incorporating the Bridge into the broader Flood Management and Riverfront Redevelopment plans presently underway. The US Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal agency in charge of the Flood Project, agreed to hire a nationally known bridge rehabilitation team to develop a plan for the bridge. A local and national team of engineers, architects and planners was hired in March 2003 and will begin work with the task force and other parties and are expected to announce the results of their work in May. Preliminary discussions on the scope of this work have been undertaken and consultation is underway with all the concerned parties. The outlook is cautiously optimistic that the Virginia Street Bridge can be successfully incorporated into the Flood Management plan and into the Riverfront Redevelopment plan.

2. Stewart Indian School

Listed in the National Register in 1985. The Stewart Indian School in Carson City is an intact 83-building complex, which was established in 1887 as a facility for Native American education emphasizing self-reliance and cultural assimilation. Native American apprentice stonemasons under the direction of superintendent Frederick Snyder built a number of the surviving buildings. Ownership of the complex was transferred from the federal government to the State of Nevada 15 years ago. In the intervening years, little has been done to take advantage of the property as a historic site. Currently, the State is developing a plan for the campus, which should be encouraged to follow proper preservation practices. UPDATE: Since its inclusion in Preserve Nevada’s 2002 list, the first step has been taken to restore the Stewart Indian School. A group composed of individuals from the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs, State Lands, Public Works, Building & Grounds, and the Nevada Indian Commission have formed a coalition and to prepare a comprehensive assessment of the property. Additionally, the Attorney General’s office is working to recover artifacts that have been removed from the School’s site.

3. Moulin Rouge

4. Goldfield High School

Part of the Goldfield Historic District, listed in the National Register in 1982. The school was built in 1907 in response to the burgeoning population that resulted from the gold and silver boom that began in 1902. Since the boom in Goldfield declined by 1910, and few modifications were needed, the large stone and brick school retains a high degree of integrity, although its condition has deteriorated severely. The Goldfield High School is currently privately owned. It suffers from structural instability and severe deferred maintenance. Lack of funding prevents preservation efforts and the building is at risk of collapse. UPDATE: Goldfield High School continues to deteriorate. With its roof open to the elements, the wood inside the historic structure is becoming severely damaged. Lack of funding has prevented the owner of the Goldfield High School from making repairs that would lead to stabilization and preservation of this historic structure.

5. Mineral County Courthouse

Listed in the National Register in 1982. The Mineral County Courthouse in Hawthorne was built in 1883 as the Esmeralda County Courthouse, which operated until 1907 when Hawthorne lost county seat status to Goldfield. In 1911, Mineral County was established and the courthouse was placed back in service. It is the only Nevada courthouse to have served two counties and one of only seven extant nineteenth century courthouses in the state. The Mineral County Courthouse has been vacant for years and it suffers from structural instability and severe deferred maintenance. The County views the building as a liability and there is currently no vision to preserve it. UPDATE: In the past year, a preliminary assessment of the Mineral County Courthouse was performed that found the building structurally sound. A local non-profit organization has been formed to rehabilitate the building and there are plans to seek funding to restore the Mineral County Courthouse for use as a community center with a historical museum as its centerpiece.

6. Las Vegas Railroad Cottages

Railroad Cottage Historic District listed in the National Register in 1987. The San Pedro, Los Angeles, and Salt Lake Railroad built the Las Vegas Railroad Cottages between 1909 and 1912. The company offered homes in three styles to workers in the company's machine shops and rail yards. A total of sixty-four homes were built by the railroad. The Railroad Cottages are all privately owned and are located in an area with high ground values. There is extreme pressure to demolish the cottages for the development potential of the land, and in fact there are only a few cottages remaining in the historic district. UPDATE: In response to a demolition plan, public agencies and concerned individuals recovered one of the most structurally-intact cottages by arranging for its removal to the Clark County Museum where it will be restored.

7. Nevada Rock Art Sites

There are at least 11 Nevada rock art sites throughout the state listed in the National Register. Nevada rock art sites reflect the wide range of prehistoric cultures that inhabited the Great Basin and Sonoran desert regions of the state. Although the locations of rock art sites are kept confidential, they are threatened by urban development, transfer of land from federal to private ownership, and increased tourism. UPDATE: Since Preserve Nevada drew attention to the endangered status of many rock art sites in Nevada, a new organization—the Nevada Rock Art Foundation—has formed with the result that professional and amateur archeologists are now stimulating statewide interest in these endangered treasures. The creation of the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area is good news for sites in Southern Nevada. Despite the failure of a Site Stewardship Bill to make it into law that would have allowed for the cataloging of archeological sites of all types throughout Nevada, Preserve Nevada was encouraged at the broad based support that initiative received—demonstrating as it does the mounting concern for these irreplaceable treasures.

8. Nevada Northern Railway Complex

The Nevada Northern Railway Complex was listed in the National Register in1993. The complex in Ely consists of a depot, shops, yards, rolling stock, and trackage. The railroad was built in 1905 as a short line to serve the copper mining boom of the early twentieth century that helped pull Nevada out of an economic decline. The railway functioned from its original steam-powered beginnings to the diesel age of the 1980s. The Nevada Northern Railway complex is threatened by a general need for ongoing funding to maintain the complex and to keep it operational. UPDATE: After being listed on Preserve Nevada’s 11-Most Endangered List, the Nevada Northern Railway Complex has received funding from the Nevada Commission for Cultural Affairs to repair the Engine House and since its inclusion on Preserve Nevada’s 2004 11-Most Endangered List, has applied for further funding to perform structural repair and educational outreach.

9. Million Dollar Courthouse

Listed in the National Register 1982. The Million Dollar Courthouse in Pioche was built in 1871-1872 and served the people of Lincoln County for 66 years. The courthouse is called the Million Dollar courthouse because of the manner in which it was financed. It began with a contract of $26,000, but through mismanagement and shady dealings, the final price tag for the building was in the $800,000 range. The community values the Courthouse, but it is threatened by the hillside behind it that drains water into the building. Water damage and hillside erosion threaten the building, although the county has received grant funds from the Nevada Commission for Cultural Affairs to ameliorate the problem.UPDATE: Since last year’s listing on Preserve Nevada’s 11 Most Endangered List, the Million Dollar Courthouse has made major progress. Under the direction of Lincoln County Grants Administrator, Phyllis Robistow, the County received grants from the Nevada SHPO to hire a structural engineer to work on the drainage problems that were undermining the building’s foundation. The engineers came up with a plan to rebuild the roof with an improved slant and gutter system to funnel water away from the building. The county also received a large Federal Highways Administration grant to re-engineer the roadway above the building to ensure that runoff would not enter the foundation. The new road will have improved gutters, curbs, and drains to guarantee that even in the heaviest rains the courthouse should be safe. Enthusiasm from these successes led to the formation of a new community group and expanded efforts to find funding to restore the Thompson Opera House. Another grant from the Nevada Commission for Cultural Affairs is being used to fix the roof and stabilize the building.

10. Tonopah Main Street-Tonopah Multiple Resource Area

The Tonapah Main Street Mutiple Resource Area was listed in the National Register in 1982. Tonopah came into existence in 1900 as the result of an accidental find by part-time prospector Jim Butler. The buildings along Tonopah's main street were built between 1900 and 1907, and reflect residential, commercial, and municipal buildings that quickly sprang-up in response to the mining boom. The threat to the historic resources in Tonopah is a general lack of economic stimulus in the downtown core, resulting in closed storefronts and deferred maintenance. UPDATE: A group in Tonopah has formed the non-profit Tonopah Development Corporation to save Tonopah’s Main Street. Applying a plan that has successfully worked in another state, they are encouraging main street restoration with a 75% reimbursement program to those who purchase a building and undertake its restoration and have applied for funding to begin their “Downtown Storefront Renovation Rebate Project” off the ground. They estimate that approximately $50,000 will be needed for the initial funding of this effort. Of urgent concern are two buildings, one a stone bank building currently offered for sale by a private owner uninterested in preserving the structure and Tonopah’s landmark—the Mizpah Hotel. Preserve Nevada has recommended that the Tonopah Development Corporation contact the National Trust for Historic Preservation in hopes that their Main Street Program might help to save Tonopah’s Main Street.

11. Silver State Lodge

The Silver State Lodge was built in 1927 as an automobile tourist court catering to Reno's divorce trade. The property, which was originally located along the Lincoln Highway, consists of a main lodge building and a number of small log cabins. It is threatened with demolition or relocation. The owner wants to develop the property into higher density rental units. UPDATE: The Silver State Lodge remains endangered. Since being listed as one of 2002’s Endangered Sites, Preserve Nevada has been in contact with its new owners who were unaware and curious about the Lodge’s history. The State Historic Preservation Office has contacted the owners in hopes that a permanent preservation solution might be found but at this time, it seems unlikely that the Lodge will be saved.