Reno Arch facts for kids
The Reno Arch is a famous landmark in Reno, Nevada. It stretches across Virginia Street where it meets Commercial Row. This arch is the third one built in Reno. The first arch was put up in 1926 to celebrate the finishing of the Lincoln and Victory Highways. The arch you see today was installed in 1987. It got new lights in 2009 and its colors were changed to blue and silver in 2018. The arch is a key part of downtown Reno. For most of its history, it has shown the city's motto: The Biggest Little City in the World.
What is the Reno Arch?
The first Reno Arch was built in 1926. It was made to promote the Nevada Transcontinental Highway Exposition. This event took place from July 25 to August 1, 1927. It celebrated the completion of two important roads: the Lincoln Highway and the Victory Highway. In Nevada, these roads followed the paths of today's U.S. Route 50 and Interstate 80.
After the big event, the city decided to keep the arch. They wanted it to be a permanent gateway to downtown Reno. The city council held a contest to find a new slogan for the arch. G. A. Burns won $100 for his idea: "Reno, The Biggest Little City in the World." This slogan first appeared on the arch on June 25, 1929. It also had lighted torches on both sides of the city name.
In 1934, some people didn't like the new slogan. It was replaced with a green neon "RENO." But many people were upset, so the slogan came back with new letters. The torches were removed at this time.
Different Versions of the Arch
The original arch was replaced in 1963. It was moved to Idlewild Park for a few years. Later, it was stored away. In 1994, the original sign was put back together for a movie called Cobb. Since 1995, this first arch has been located on Lake Street, just south of the Truckee River.
In 1963, a new, larger arch was installed. This second arch had plastic panels and a spinning star. It also had an upside-down arch below the "RENO" letters for the slogan. After this arch was replaced, it was given to the city of Willits, California. The city of Willits changed it. They removed most of the plastic panels and replaced the star with the flag of the United States. The slogan was changed to "Gateway to the Redwoods" and "Heart of Mendocino County." This arch now stands over Main Street in downtown Willits.
The third and current Reno Arch was put up in 1987 by a company called YESCO. On November 17, 2009, the city of Reno celebrated a big change. They replaced all 2,076 old light bulbs on the arch with new, energy-saving LED bulbs. The old bulbs were given away to people watching the event.
On December 13, 2017, the Reno City Council decided to change the arch's colors. They voted to paint it silver and blue with shiny silver legs. One reason for this change was that the old gold legs were hard to keep clean. Also, the new colors would match the University of Nevada, Reno. This update cost over $225,000 and was finished in May 2018.
The Arch in Pop Culture
The Reno Arch is a famous symbol of Reno. You can see it in many movies that are set in the city. Some of these movies include Kingpin, Waking up in Reno, The Wizard, and Sister Act.
Many events and activities also take place under the arch. For example, the popular "Hot August Nights" car show is held there. The arch even appears in the video game Fallout 2. In the game, it's on "Virgin Street" in a town called "New Reno."
