3000 S McCarran Blvd, Reno, NV 89502

Mira Loma Park

Park Description:

Mira Loma Park is a 37.5-acre Reno park with year-round restrooms.

Park Amenities:

Playground, skate park, soccer/football field, baseball/softball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, horseshoe area, exercise area, pathways, picnic shelter, barbeque area, rentable shelter, and tables/benches.

Park Highlights

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Park History

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Mira Loma Overview

Mira Loma means “view of the hills” and the park by this name lives up to that description. Reno put aside $201,000 for construction of the park in 1980, despite an otherwise tight city budget. The planners met with surrounding residents to brainstorm ideas for the design of the park. By 1983, a portion of the 13-acre park was under development.

A few years later, voters approved a bond measure to finance improvements to the city parks, including Mira Loma Park. By 1988, the park was expanded to almost 38-acres and included many new amenities such as tennis courts, jogging path, more baseball/softball fields, and restrooms. Tennis courts were at a premium at the time since the only tennis complex in southwest Reno was at Pine Middle School, so the community was happy to have four courts added to the park. The new ball fields promised to host 200 softball teams. In 2000, another bond issue was approved by voters to go toward city parks, including the erection of a skateboard park at Mira Loma, which was completed in 2002.

Image:
Mira Loma playground equipment. Source: Jay Kolbet-Clausell.

Wind Turbines

In addition to the children’s summer programs hosted at the park, the baseball, softball, radio-controlled car club, and rugby tournaments (the park was home to the Washoe Zephyr Soccer Club), the park was considered as a location for the historic Lake Mansion in 1990. The mansion ultimately ended up closer to its original location near downtown.

In 2010, a wind turbine was installed on top of the concession stand at Mira Loma Park. The installation was a test to see if the energy generated could be used for lighting the park. Turbines were installed at several other places around the city, such as City Hall. A second turbine was installed the following year with funds from NV Energy and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Unfortunately, the power generated from these roof-top turbines was lower than anticipated, and the effectiveness and durability of the wind turbines was questioned in subsequent years. Neither turbine exists, but there is a large single turbine now erected near the picnic shelter.

Image:
Wind turbine at Mira Loma. Source: Jay Kolbet-Clausell.

The Jones Ranch

Prior to becoming Mira Loma Park, the area was part of the Jones Ranch. Robert Jones and his wife Jane were early pioneers of Nevada. They travelled across the plains in 1858 and settled in Gold Hill where they owned a dairy with a milk route. They moved after ten years down to the ranch, which at that time was located in what was called the Glendale district. Robert Jones died in 1903, followed by Jane in 1915, and the property where the park is located was then owned by Emma J. Marble, daughter of Robert and Jane Jones.

Developer Michael Dermody announced in 1985 that he planned to seek approval to build 1,400 condominiums, apartments, and townhouses on a 100-acre parcel from the Jones Ranch. The nearby communities of RoseView and the Estates at Rosewood Lakes were developed by Dermody with Taylor Woodrow Homes. The use of the word “Rose” in the names of the communities and previous golf course came from 84-year old Lord Frank Taylor’s visit to the area from the UK. During a visit, he envisioned tree-lined streets of homes with views of Mt. Rose, and this inspired the names.

Image:
Partial map of Truckee Meadows from 1921 showing where Mira Loma Park now is located.

Boynton Slough

Just west of Mira Loma Park was the ranch of John Boynton, namesake of the nearby Boynton Slough. John W. Boynton was a Nevada pioneer, who had a ranch in the 1880s that neighbored the Jones Ranch. Part of his old ranch is now the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

The ranch was used for cattle grazing, and local fishermen caught catfish and chub (“they averaged only about six inches in length, but were fat and delicious”) in the creek. Many ranches grew alfalfa, which is not native to the area, but was brought in for cattle feed. There were 900 head of cattle on the ranch in 1912. John died in 1915, and by 1925, a newspaper article said the Boynton Ranch was owned by the Union Land and Cattle Company, and the land had been leased to J. B. Humphrey.

Image:
Creek Chub. Photographer: Brian Gratwicke.

Longley Lane

Just west of Mira Loma Park, on what was once the Boynton Ranch, now runs Longley Lane. This major thoroughfare is named after A. A. Longley, who was another one of the pioneer ranchers of the area. He raised alfalfa and grazed cattle on his ranch, but he had a passion for raising thoroughbred horses and participating in horse races.

In the 1870s his prize trotting stallion was Rifleman, “This beautiful thoroughbred of Longley’s was on the street yesterday. Al took delight in showing the horse, as well he ought.” Longley put up the prizes for the most accomplished lady rider at the fair: A China dinner set of 144 pieces from Beck and Co. valued at $150. “None but ladies of the highest respectability will be allowed to compete.”

In 1882, Longley made an addition to his farm house, which had two stories and eleven rooms. It was reported that Longley had “one of the finest country houses in the State.” Al Longley died in 1886 by an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot. A few years later the estate was sold to Alex and Eben Twaddle, who also owned the land in Washoe Valley on which Wilson Commons Park is located. Sadly, Alex Twaddle committed suicide on the ranch by shooting himself in the head. The ranch was sold again a couple years later.

Image:
Advertisement. Source: Reno Evening Gazette, 12 July 1877, page 4.

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Mira Loma Park on iNaturalist

Contact:

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Want To Learn More?

References & Further Info:

City of Reno Parks & Facilities Directory - Mira Loma Park
City of Reno: Mira Loma Park
Mira Loma: Trail Map
Trip Savvy: “There's Lots to Do at Mira Loma Park in Southeast Reno”
Mira Loma Park: NewtoReno
Full list of sources...

Contributor(s):

Jill Richardson (history)

Haley McGuire

Alex Shahbazi

Last Updated:

April 20, 2021, 4:32:48 AM

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