One of the surviving University Gateway houses, this home is a true success story of Reno historic preservation. It is likely that many of you have been watching its transformation since it was relocated from 829 Lake Street in 2020 to its current location. What you have not been able to see is the tremendous amount of work being done on the inside to restore it to its original glory.

The home was likely built between 1910 and 1912 for Winfred and Olla Mack, of New York. They had come to Reno in late 1906, as Winfred, bacteriologist, veterinarian and professor at Cornell University, had accepted a position at the University of Nevada. Winfred had tuberculosis and thought Nevada’s climate might be better for his health. In addition to being a UNR professor, Mack soon was named the Nevada State Veterinarian. Olla participated in many women’s groups and hosted numerous local social events in their new beautiful home. 

In 1918, Winfred passed away. He was still in his forties. While recovering from his death, Olla was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As the disease progressed, Olla became bedridden and began selling magazine subscriptions to locals to support herself. Olla died in 1958, and the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) purchased the home in 2005. Later, UNR officials announced their plan to clear the neighborhood for a parking garage and business building. All but four of the homes gracing N. Center and Lake Streets were demolished.

The Lake Street home was lovely, though the interior suffered from years of student occupancy.  Today it is still a 2-story Craftsman with some alterations to the exterior. The low-pitched roof with eaves overhanging the first story is the same, but the porch supports and railings are new.  The exterior stucco was removed and the home was painted a stunning deep blue with white trim. There are sash windows with divided upper lights and a generous front porch with a second story veranda, or gallery. A lovely little diamond-shaped window still has its place beneath the eaves, though it is more noticeable now with its red frame.

The interior wood had been painted white over the years. It took much elbow grease to remove multiple layers to showcase the beautiful oak wood beneath it. The configuration of the second story rooms had been altered to house a greater number of students. The new owners, Beth and Jerry Krug, reorganized the floor to accommodate a family and took great pains to return the home to its original style and beauty with some concessions to modern living. The Krugs added a garage to the side of the home and an iron fence with solid brick posts to protect the home from errant drivers cruising Plumas Street.

Reno is fortunate that this example of our early residential history has been granted a new life and demonstrates that it is possible for an old house to be adapted to the way we live today and can effortlessly take its place in a modern neighborhood.