9100 Wilbur May Pkwy, Reno, NV 89521

Double Diamond Park

Park Description:

Double Diamond Park is a 10-acre Reno park with restrooms (opened seasonally: late April-early October weather permitting).

Park Amenities:

Baseball/softball fields and a soccer/football field.

Park Highlights

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Park History

Click the image to read each topic's full text!

Washeshu People

Before the settlers came to the Truckee Meadows in the 1850’s, this area was employed by the Washeshu people as part of their migration route in the winter when the mountains were snowy. For at least 9000 years before the colonizers moved this far west, the Washeshu utilized the local hot springs and were able to cook, drink, and bathe without fear of the water ever freezing. As a food source, the Washeshu hunted birds in the marshes and fished in the nearby Truckee River. The Washeshu also used the mineralized volcanic rocks as paint pigment. Many Washeshu and other Native American tribes still call this area their home, and more information can be found on the Reno, Sparks Indian Colony website, https://www.rsic.org/.

Image:
Washoe Indians – The Chief’s Family. Source: Lawrence & Houseworth Publisher.

Who is Wilbur D. May?

The area around Double Diamond Park was once owned by Wilbur D. May. Born December 28, 1898, he was the third son of David May, who founded May Company Department Stores in 1877 in Leadville, Colorado during that state’s silver rush. Wilbur was expected to continue the family business, but after a career as an ambulance driver during WWI and an overwhelming zeal for the outdoors, he discovered that wasn't his passion.

Able to fly his own plane, Wilbur got the travel bug and traveled around the world on hunting trips. During one such trip to Africa, the stock market crashed in the US. Fortunately for him, he had already sold his shares. Upon his return to the U.S., he bought back the same shares at a huge discount, making him quite rich. He added to his wealth through good investments, such as the oil industry.

In 1936, Wilbur moved to Nevada and bought 2,600 acres of land in southwest Reno. The Double Diamond Ranch was named for Wilbur’s initials stacked on top of each other, which look like two diamonds, and the ranch became well-known for raising winning thoroughbred horses, as well as prized Black Angus cattle and Boston Bull Terriers. Wilbur continued travelling, painting, writing songs, and even served as a reconnaissance pilot during WWII. Back in Reno, he was a generous supporter of many causes which benefited children. When he died in 1982, he left plans for a museum and arboretum to benefit children, which are evident today in the Wilbur D. May Center and the Arboretum in Rancho San Rafael Park.

Image:
Wilbur May. Source: Wilbur May Museum

Development of Double Diamond Park

The Double Diamond Development was proposed in June 1980. The 2,330 acres previously used for cattle grazing was proposed for home development to relieve the Reno housing crisis. At that time, this area was mostly meadows where Nevada bluegrass, sagebrush, cheatgrass, tumble mustard, orchard grass, Baltic rush and numerous range grasses grew. It was originally envisioned that there would be plenty of open space for parks, as well as a rodeo/fairgrounds, golf course, and equestrian center at the Wilbur May ranch house. At least parks such as this one became reality!

Image:
Photo provided by Washoe County.

Unique Neighborhood Features

Just a block down the street from Double Diamond Park is the new Veterans Parkway. This section of road, dedicated to veterans, opened in June of 2018 to traffic. One interesting safety feature of the new road is the 8-foot fencing to keep large animals off the roads (horses are known to come down from the Virginia Mountains) with one-way gates which allow animals to escape should they somehow get on the road. Previously, much of this area was considered floodplains, but now thanks to the parkway, the new wetlands will help filter dirty water coming out of Virginia Lake before it reaches the Truckee River.

Next to the park is a middle school named for Kendyl Depoali, an educator who had a significant impact on education in Washoe County from 1974 to 2007. She received numerous awards and championed many changes to the Washoe County School District and to the state of Nevada.

Image:
Kendyl Depaoli. Source: Washoe County School District.

Get Involved!

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Volunteer:

Support our parks by volunteering with the Parks Foundation! Attend a volunteer event or choose an ongoing role. Click here to explore opportunities.

iNaturalist:

Out in our parks or open spaces? Try cataloguing the biodiversity around you with iNaturalist! All it takes is downloading the iNaturalist app onto your phone to get started.

Curious what's been seen in this park? Click the link below to see what species other have spotted!

Double Diamond Park on iNaturalist

Contact:

Have a question about our parks or the Parks Project? Email us at parksproject@tmparksfoundation.org!

Want To Learn More?

References & Further Info:

City of Reno Parks & Facilities Directory - Double Diamond Park
Who was Kendyl Depoali. (2018). Retrieved from Community Foundation of Western Nevada: https://nevadafund.org/depoali-kendyl-memorial-scholarship-2/
The May Department Stores Company. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2018, from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_May_Department_Stores_Company
Washoe County website: About Wilbur May. (n.d.). Retrieved July 24, 2018, from Washoe County, NV: https://www.washoecounty.us/parks/maycenterhome/maybio.php
Did you know. (2018, January). Retrieved June 2018, from Southeast Connector: http://www.southeastconnector.com/did-you-know/
Higdon, M. (2018, June 28). Southeast Connector opens next week. Reno Gazette Jounral.
Fockler, M. (2007). Plumbing the Truckee: Water, Diversion and the Creation of Community along the Truckee River, Nevada. Reno: UMI Dissertation Services.
Brown, H.K. (1968). A County Called Washoe
Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, http://www.rsic.org/rsic-history/

Contributor(s):

Jill Richardson (history)

Haley McGuire

Alex Shahbazi

Last Updated:

April 20, 2021, 4:36:49 AM

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9100 Wilbur May Pkwy, Reno, NV 89521

Double Diamond Park

Park Description: