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925 Riverside Dr, Reno, NV 89503
McKinley Park
Park Description:
McKinley Park is a 3-acre Reno park without restrooms. The park is home to the McKinley Arts & Culture Center.
Park Amenities:
Grassy area and tables/benches.
Park Contact Information:
City of Reno - Parks & Facilities (775) 334-2417
Park Highlights
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Park History
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McKinley Park
Sitting hidden away along the Truckee River not far from Downtown, the McKinley Art Center stands as a monument of a different time stretching back to the turn of the 20th Century. Today the park is the site for various community events such as farmers markets, craft fairs and summer camps. Back around the time the ageless structure was built, Reno was still a small town that was just starting to make a name for itself with McKinley Park being a testament to history.
Image Credit: Michael Misanik
Image Credit: Michael Misanik
Old Schoolhouse to Park
The McKinley Park School building was constructed in 1909. It was designed by local architect George Ferris (the man who also invented the Ferris Wheel). The school was the first to be constructed of the “Spanish Quartet,” four single-story Mission Revival style schools built in Reno in the early 20th century. Today, McKinley and Mount Rose Elementary School are the only schools to have survived. The schools represented a growth spurt that the city of Reno was experiencing at the time with them receiving high praise at the time of their construction for their modern convenience and technology, as well as their potential to serve as community focal points. McKinley Park School served the Washoe County School District for a number of years before being transferred to the City of Reno during the 1980s when it was used for the Parks and Recreation Offices.
The use of Mission Revival style has been attributed to the preference of the school superintendent at the time, B. D. Billinghurst, who was enamored of Spanish architecture. The school derived its name from the small public park that predated it on the site. The City of Reno established McKinley Park on the north bank of the Truckee River, bordering Riverside Drive, in 1902. It was named for U.S. President William McKinley, who was assassinated in September of 1901. Some two hundred shade and ornamental trees were planted on the grounds in 1903, and today many of those now old-growth trees continue to stand, retaining the original park legacy.
The former schoolhouse underwent rehabilitation in the 1990s and now serves as the City of Reno’s Arts and Culture Center, which is open to the public. The rehabilitation effort was supported through grant funds from the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was listed in the Reno Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Image Credit: Nevada Historical Society
The use of Mission Revival style has been attributed to the preference of the school superintendent at the time, B. D. Billinghurst, who was enamored of Spanish architecture. The school derived its name from the small public park that predated it on the site. The City of Reno established McKinley Park on the north bank of the Truckee River, bordering Riverside Drive, in 1902. It was named for U.S. President William McKinley, who was assassinated in September of 1901. Some two hundred shade and ornamental trees were planted on the grounds in 1903, and today many of those now old-growth trees continue to stand, retaining the original park legacy.
The former schoolhouse underwent rehabilitation in the 1990s and now serves as the City of Reno’s Arts and Culture Center, which is open to the public. The rehabilitation effort was supported through grant funds from the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was listed in the Reno Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Image Credit: Nevada Historical Society