Virginia Street Bridge
Spans Truckee River, Reno, Nevada
Two-span concrete arch bridge over Truckee River on Virginia Street in Reno
Map
Coordinates:
+39.52506, -119.8126439°31'30" N, 119°48'46" W
Quadrangle map:Reno
Description
The Virginia Street Bridge, built in 1905, is the oldest functioning bridge in Reno and was the first reinforced concrete bridge in the State of Nevada. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places under criteria A and C. This Virginia Street Bridge was built by the Cotton Brothers and Company of Oakland, CA, under the direction of T.K. Steward, of Reno, as Engineer in Charge. The bridge was designed by John B. Leonard of San Francisco, CA, one of the most important early 20th century bridge engineers in California. The Virginia Street Bridge provides a continuous north-south roadway through downtown Reno on Virginia Street (U.S. Highway 395 Business) following one of the earliest transportation routes through the Truckee Meadows leading to Virginia City and the Comstock Lode, Carson City, and California. A bridge has stood at this location since 1859. The two span reinforced concrete filled spandrel arch bridge of today, one of two in the State, replaced the iron bridge in 1905 when the growth of Reno necessitated a larger bridge.
-- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER NV-14)
National Register information
- Status
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on December 10, 1980
- Reference number
- 80002471
- Architectural style
- Other architectural type; two span bridge
- Areas of significance
- Engineering; Transportation; Architecture
- Level of significance
- State
- Evaluation criteria
- A - Event; C - Design/Construction
- Property type
- Structure
- Historic function
- Road-related
- Current function
- Road-related
- Period of significance
- 1900-1924
- Significant year
- 1905
Update Log
- September 11, 2016: New Street View added by Bill Eichelberger