Twaddle Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Twaddle Mansion
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 Location in Nevada
Location in the United States
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| Location | 485 W. Fifth St., Reno, Nevada |
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| Built | 1905 |
| Architect | Leon, Benjamin |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 83001122 |
| Added to NRHP | March 07, 1983 |
The Twaddle Mansion is a historic house in Reno, Nevada. It was built in 1905 for a rancher named Ebenezer "Eben" Twaddle. The house has two stories and was designed in the Colonial Revival style by contractor Benjamin Leon. This style was quite unusual for buildings in Nevada at the time.
Contents
What Does the Twaddle Mansion Look Like?
The Twaddle Mansion is known for its fancy design, especially on the first floor.
First Floor Features
The front porch has groups of Ionic columns. These columns support a decorative band and a triangular top part, called a pediment. The porch curves around the house, following the shape of the corner lot where the house stands. On the east side of the house, there's a window with a very detailed, decorative cover. Small, turned railings connect the columns on the porch. At the corners of the house, there are two-story flat columns, also in the Ionic style.
Second Floor and Roof
The second floor of the house is much simpler than the first. It has fewer decorations. The windows throughout the house are made with special beveled glass, which means the edges are cut at an angle. The roof has wide edges supported by decorative brackets. Above the second-floor windows, there are also decorative designs. The roof is a hipped roof, meaning it slopes down on all sides. It has small dormer windows, which are windows that stick out from the roof, and these have diamond-shaped glass panes.
Who Was Eben Twaddle?
Eben Twaddle was an important person in the Reno area. He owned a ranch and was very active in local government and community work.
Community Roles
Twaddle served as a Reno city councilman for six terms, which is a long time! He also helped manage a hospital, was a representative on the school board, and even worked as the fire marshal. He was a true community leader.
How the Mansion Was Used Over Time
After Eben Twaddle, the mansion had several different uses.
A Temporary Home in Reno
For a period, the Twaddle Mansion became a temporary home for people who needed to live in Reno for a certain amount of time. This was because Reno had laws that required people to live there for a specific period before they could complete certain legal processes. In 1927, the required waiting period was shortened from six months to three months. Then, in 1931, it was reduced even further to just six weeks. This made Reno a popular place for people needing to establish residency quickly.
Later Uses and Preservation
Later, the house became a religious center for the Baháʼí Faith. After that, it was changed to be used for businesses. The Twaddle Mansion was recognized as an important historical building and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In the 1990s, a local Reno lawyer named Laurence Peter Digesti bought the mansion. He renovated the inside, and today it serves as The Digesti Law Firm LLP.
