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Reno, Nevada

"The Biggest Little City in the World"
Known for its neon arch and quickie divorces, Reno has reinvented itself from a gambling town into a tech and logistics hub where the Sierra Nevada meets the Great Basin.
Founded 1868 | Population 290,076 | Peak 290,076 (2024) | County Washoe County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Reno, Nevada

1
1931 Gambling Legalized and Divorce Laws Liberalized: Nevada legalized gambling and reduced its divorce residency to six weeks, making Reno a destination for both entertainers and those seeking to end marriages quickly.
2
2014 Tesla Gigafactory Nearby: Tesla chose a site east of Reno for its massive Gigafactory, bringing thousands of jobs and signaling Reno's transformation into a tech and manufacturing hub.
3
1868 Railroad Town Founded: Reno was established as a depot on the Central Pacific Railroad, named after Union General Jesse Lee Reno. The railroad made it a gateway to mining country.
4
1936 Casino Industry Pioneers: Harold's Club and Harrah's pioneered modern casino marketing with billboards and celebrity entertainment, establishing Reno as America's original gambling city.
5
2018 California Migration Boom: Thousands of Californians relocated to Reno seeking lower costs and taxes, driving rapid population growth and transforming the housing market.
6
1910 Johnson-Jeffries Boxing Match: The heavyweight championship fight between Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries was held in Reno after being banned elsewhere. Johnson's victory triggered racial violence across America.
7
1906 University of Nevada Growth: The University of Nevada, Reno expanded significantly, growing into the state's oldest university and a research institution known for earthquake engineering and mining.
8
2000 Burning Man Economy: The annual Burning Man festival in the nearby Black Rock Desert generated significant economic impact for Reno, with attendees flooding the city before and after the event.
9
2008 Housing Crisis: Reno was among the hardest-hit cities during the housing crash, with property values dropping sharply and foreclosure rates spiking.
10
1970 Reno Arch Restored: The iconic 'Biggest Little City in the World' arch over Virginia Street was restored and has become one of the most photographed landmarks in Nevada.
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Population Over Time

0 72,519 145,038 217,557 290,076 1870 1880 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

Latest News in Reno

Mar 18, 2026
Shattering the Myth: Cesar Chavez’s Dark Secrets Exposed
The recent surge of abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez has ignited a firestorm of criticism from prominent Latino leaders, who…
Mar 15, 2026
Nevada Sheriff Defies Judge Over Violent Criminal’s Release
Nevada Sheriff Kevin McMahill is defying a judge’s order to keep a convicted felon locked up. A social media post from Offic…
Mar 4, 2026
Man Steals Flamingo In Las Vegas, Brings It Back To His Hotel Room
A Canadian man sneaked into the flamingo habitat at the Flamingo resort on the Las Vegas Strip and committed outright animal cruel…
Apr 26, 2016
Nevada Man Tells News Reporter Hell Buy Cocaine and Hookers if he Wins
Las Vegas, Nevada (April 26, 2016) – A Nevada man stirred up a storm of controversy last week when he casually told a news repor…
Mar 17, 2016
Bad News Oj Simpson
Las Vegas, Nevada – On March 17, 2016, O.J. Simpson hit another snag in his long legal saga, as a parole board turned down his l…
Mar 2, 2016
Trump has Most Loyal Supporters Any Gop Candidate
WASHINGTON — In the thick of the 2016 Republican primary season, Donald Trump emerged as the candidate with an unusually devoted…

Complete Historical Timeline

1868 Transport
Reno founded as Central Pacific Railroad depot
1874 Culture
University of Nevada established
1906 Industry
Mining boom brings wealth to region
1910 Sports
Johnson-Jeffries prizefight held in Reno
1927 Architecture
'Biggest Little City' arch erected
1931 Government
Gambling legalized; divorce residency reduced
1936 Business
Harold's Club and Harrah's pioneer casino marketing
1950 Business
Reno is America's premier gambling destination
1970 Business
Las Vegas surpasses Reno in gaming revenue
2000 Culture
Burning Man boosts regional economy
2008 Business
Housing crisis hits hard
2014 Business
Tesla Gigafactory announced nearby
2018 Social
California migration drives population surge
2024 Government
Population surpasses 290,000

Did You Know?

1
Reno is farther west than Los Angeles — a fact that surprises most people who assume Nevada is entirely east of California.
2
The Reno arch has displayed 'The Biggest Little City in the World' since 1929, making it one of the longest-running civic slogans in American history.
3
Before Las Vegas existed as a gambling destination, Reno was America's casino capital — it had legal gambling for 15 years before the Las Vegas Strip was built.

Famous People from Reno, Nevada

CH
Curtis Hanson
Screenwriter, Comedian · Born Mar 24, 1945 · Died Sep 20, 2016 (age 71)
JM
Julia Mancuso
Alpine Skier · Born Mar 9, 1984 · Age 41
DW
Dawn Wells
Stage Actor, Television Actor · Born Oct 18, 1938 · Died Dec 30, 2020 (age 82)
KP
Kristoffer Polaha
Actor, Television Actor · Born Feb 18, 1977 · Age 49
DW
David Wise
Freestyle Skier · Born Jun 30, 1990 · Age 35

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