805 California Ave, Reno, NV 89509

Newlands Park

Park Description:

Newlands Park is a 2-acre Reno park without restrooms.

Park Amenities:

Playground and tables/benches.

Park Contact Information:

City of Reno - Parks & Facilities (775) 334-2417

Park Highlights

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Park History

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

Newlands Park Overview

Newlands Park is located in the Newlands Terrace subdivision on the top of a bluff overlooking Keystone Avenue and its bridge over the Truckee River. The land had been previously owned by Francis Newlands, a prominent member of the U.S. Congress from 1882 to 1903, then a U.S. Senator from 1903 to 1917.

After the death of Francis Newlands, the land was deeded to the City of Reno in 1920 by the Newlands family with the understanding that the park was to be a memorial to the late Senator. In 1923, an engraved granite stone was installed in the park facing Peavine Mountain. The stone honors Newlands with a quote from the bible which references the important work Newlands did in securing federal funding for reclamation projects to benefit agriculture in Nevada and other western states.

The local neighbors sued the city of Reno in the 1970’s for attempting to swap portions of Newlands Park for other property in order to build an approach for the Keystone Bridge and widen California Avenue. The Nevada Supreme Court ruled that the city committed a “breach of trust” by attempting to trade the property.

Image:
Newlands’ work to reclaim Nevada land. Source: Wikimedia.

Early Days

At the park’s inception, the city of Reno hired a landscape architect to come up with ideas such as a public playground, a tourist campground and a baseball park. A small golf course was even considered, but the tract was too small. The hope was to take advantage of the park’s lovely views of the river and the mountains, and enhance the scenery with beautiful trees and shrubbery. The city’s first improvement in 1920 was to get the tract cleaned up and a drinking fountain installed; other improvements at that time were deferred due to limited funds.

The name of the park took time to be decided. While some Reno residents argued that “naming public streets, buildings and parks after politicians is no longer considered good taste,” the park’s name seems to have been chosen in 1923 by default over “city park,” “municipal park,” or “the camp ground.”

A US Coast and Geodetic Survey Triangulation Tower located at the park was an unintended play structure in 1946 when two young boys climbed the 60-foot tower and had to be rescued! Boys will be boys!

Image:
Derby Dam on Truckee River for Newlands Irrigation Project. Source: National Archives and Records Administration, June 1973.

Francis Newlands

The park is named in honor of Francis Griffith Newlands, a respected politician who served in the U.S. congress and U.S. senate from 1882 until his death in 1917.

Newlands was born in Mississippi in 1848 and studied at Yale college and Columbian college law school in Washington, D.C. He was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of the District of Columbia, then took up a law practice in San Francisco before coming to Nevada in 1888. During his time in congress and the senate, he served on various committees addressing irrigation, foreign affairs, and banking. He is most remembered for his prominent role in the establishment of the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service, and the US Forest Service. In Nevada, he established the Newlands water reclamation project which enabled the Rye Patch and Lahontan Reservoirs through the construction of a diversion dam (Derby Dam) on the Truckee River.

Newlands was one of the partners in the Newlands Company, which started in 1903, and was partly responsible for the gentrification of early Reno. The company developed several high-end neighborhoods near the park.

Image:
Francis Newlands. Source: Library of Congress.

Neighborhood

The homes surrounding the park are part of the Newland Terrace subdivision, one of the neighborhoods established by the Newlands Company. The lots on California Avenue and Newlands Circle went up for sale in 1920. Senator Newlands’ family lived nearby and contributed to the establishment and beautification of the park.

Mrs. Janet Newlands Johnson, the daughter of Senator Newlands, brought in architects from Santa Barbara, California, to begin construction of the homes. In 1922, it was reported that she was designing the homes to include lush lawns with sidewalks, garages, and frame construction with stucco exterior finishes. By the late 1920s, there was a housing boom in Reno, and three of the lots along the bluff above the Truckee River, west of the park, were sold. Other lots were being sub-divided and sold for development.

Image:
Newlands Mansion. Source: Jill Richardson.

Controversy

In 2020, the park’s name came under attack by Reno residents when it came to light that Senator Newlands had been a racist. Historians agree that Newlands believed in a progressive and white America. He proposed that the Democratic Party repeal the 15th Amendment, giving black people the right to vote; and he said if black people didn’t agree, they could go back to Africa. Deeds for lots and homes developed by Newlands Company were contractually prohibited to be sold to non-whites.

With the nation’s push to eliminate discrimination, residents have suggested that the park’s name be changed and the stone monument meant to honor Newlands be removed. Since the land for the park came from the Newlands family, and the deed says the intent is for the land to be a public park to honor Newlands, the city of Reno is researching the legality and implications of renaming the park.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time the park has been involved in racial issues. In 1924, a Ku Klux Klan cross was found burning at the top of the bluff. There were no demonstrations and nearby residents put out the fire with an extinguisher.

Image:
Memorial stone at Newlands Park. Source: Jill Richardson.

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iNaturalist:

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

Newlands Park on iNaturalist

Contact:

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Want To Learn More?

References & Further Info:

City of Reno Parks & Facilities Directory - Newlands Park

Contributor(s):

Jill Richardson (history)

Haley McGuire

Alex Shahbazi

Last Updated:

August 26, 2022 at 6:33:57 PM

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