Center Street Bridge, Spanning Truckee River at Center Street, Reno

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER NV-13. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Center Street Bridge, built in is the only reinforced concrete open spandrel barrel arch bridge in the State of Nevada. The Center Street Bridge is the first structure to cross the Truckee River at this location. Designed by the Reno engineering firm of King & Malone and built by the Reno firm of Jame~ S. Jensen, the City of Reno accepted the bridge on December 16, In the Center Street Bridge was dedicated as the Wm. O'H. Martin Memorial Bridge. William O'Hare Martin was an early businessman in Northern Nevada and Reno who was active in mining, real estate, banking, and commerce. Mr. Martin served in the Nevada State Senate from to The residence of William Martin, built in stood on the south bank of the Truckee River near the Center Street Bridge. Prepared By: Katharine R.

Boyne with Ana B. Koval Rainshadow Associates P. 0. Box Carson City, NV Date: August CENTER STREET BRIDGE (William O'H. Martin Bridge) HAER No. page 2 Summary The Center Street Bridge, built in is the only reinforced concrete open spandrel barrel arch bridge in the State of Nevada) Built one block east of Virginia Street, the Center Street Bridge is the first structure to cross the Truckee River at this location. The Center Street Bridge opened North Center Street to the south becoming the second bridge crossing the Truckee River downtown. Prior to no street existed between Mill Street south of the Truckee River and First Street north of the Truckee at this location.

On the north side of the river, University Avenue was extended south through the Southern Pacific Railroad Reno Switching and Stock Yards and the existing Center Street was extended south to the river to provide the north approach to the bridge. Center Street south of the river was extended north from Mill Street to provide the south approach for the new bridge. The entire length of the new street was renamed Center Street. History In the Reno City Council approved a proposal to improve Center Street and First Street by extending these streets through the purchase of right-of-way and construction of a bridge across the Truckee River connecting South Center Street with North Center Street.2 The commercial area of North Center Street was hemmed in. The Reno City Hall (45 E.

First Street), Nevada Bell Telephone Company N. Center Street), the Reno Garage E. First Street), and the Majestic Theater Building (on the southwest comer of First and Center Streets) had limited approaches until the Center Street Bridge was opened.3 The west wall of the Reno Garage located on the north bank was removed to allow a widening of the right of way necessary for the north approach to the future bridge. On the south approach to the bridge, Dr.

Hood's residence was removed to widen the right of way.4 Across from his residence once stood the home of William O'Hare Martin local businessman, to whom the Center Street Bridge was dedicated.s During the the Southern Pacific Railroad, struggling for space to grow, moved their switching tracks to the Sparks yard and opened the right-of-way lKnight, Kenneth C. and T. H. Turner. An Inventory of Nevada's Historic Bridges. Carson City, NV: Nevada Department of Transportation. p. 2"Notice of Proposed Street Improvement by Construction of Bridge on Center Street and the Widening of First Street between Center and Lake Streets in the City of Reno." Reno City Council Minutes. September 25, 3R. L.

Polk's City Directory for Reno, Sparks, and Carson City 4"Reno Acquires Bridge Right." Nevada State Journal. June 22, p. S"McCarran Pledges Efforts to Keep U. S. Out of War." Nevada State Journal. September 15, p. CENTER STREET BRIDGE (William O'H. Martin Bridge) HAER No. page 3 to the north allowing the north-south connection of Center and University.6 Later, University Avenue's name was changed to North Center Street. The Reno City Council on March 1, authorized the Reno engineering firm of King & Malone to supervise the engineering phases of the construction of the Center Street Bridge. King & Malone, engineers, founded in later became Malone Engineering with George Wilson "Molly" Malone in control.

George Malone graduated from the University of Nevada at Reno in with a degree in civil and hydraulic engineering. Malone served in World War I and then became the State Engineer for Nevada serving between and He also served on the Public Service Commission, the Colorado River Commission, the State Bond Commission, the State Range Commission, and the State Irrigation Commission. Malone entered the political arena in and served as U.S. Senator from Nevada from to The design plans were ready by the end of May 8 The bridge design called for a two-span reinforced hydraulic cement concrete arch bridge being 162 foot long and 62 foot wide. The design, an open spandrel barrel .arch, required a complex falsework to construct.9 The concrete balustrade is of a classical design.

Original lantern posts, designed by King & Malone, stood on the end and center posts on each side of the bridge. The lantern posts have since been removed. The City let the construction contract on June 22, to the local firm of James S. Jensen. The contractor's bid ~ame to which was under the estimate of King & Malone.IO The Center Street Bridge contract was the first bridge construction project for James S. Jensen.11 Jensen, a cement worker12, worked under contract to the City of Reno five times between and the Center Street Bridge being his largest endeavor.13 The City of Reno accepted the bridge on December 16, with the final report by Jensen given to the City Council on December 26, The cost given on the 6cromer, Robert. "Bridges over Truckee Waters." Nevada State Journal.

August 2, pp. E- l & 3. 7scrugham, James G., ed. Nevada" A Narrative of the Conquest of a Frontier Land. Volume II. New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc. pp. and Miluck, Nancy Christian. Nevada, This is Our Land. Genoa, NV: Dragon Enterprises. p 8Nylen, Robert A. "Center Street Bridge NAER Inventory Card." March 1, 9Knight. p. lDNylen. ll"New Bridge Bid Selected." Nevada State Journal. June 22, page 12Polk. 13City of Reno Index to Agreements. 14 City Accepts New Bridge." Nevada State Journal. December 7, p. 11 CENTER STREET BRIDGE (William O'H. Martin Bridge) HAER No. page 4 final report was the difference of was made up by King & Malone.15 During excavation work, the first gasworks in Reno16, constructed in was uncovered.

Removal of fuel pipes, fittings, and a tank was necessary before the bridge work began.17 The initial step in the construction was the lowering of the north river bank to allow the steam shovel access to the river bottom. Low water conditions during construction allowed the steam shovel to operate in the river bed while excavating for the bridge support pier. The steam shovel also removed a small island located in the center of the river.18 There is a brass plaque on the center post, west side railing of the bridge, which reads as follows: Center Street Bridge Reno City Council E. E. Roberts, Mayor S. E. Ross Henry Deiterice Sam Frank Wm. Justi Kelley Klaus Chas. Nichols, Councilmen City Engineer - Henry Chism Contractor - J. S.

Jensen Designing and Supervising Engineers King and Malone - Reno, Nevada In the Center Street Bridge was dedicated as the Wm. O'H. Martin Memorial Bridge.19 William O'Hare Martin was an early businessman in northern Nevada and Reno who was active in mining, real estate, banking and commerce. Mr. Martin served in the Nevada State Senate from to Mr. Martin's daughter, Anne Henrietta Martin, conducted a campaign that won women's suffrage for Nevada in was elected national chairman for the National Women's Party National Convention in and was the first woman candidate for U. S. Senate in 15"Letter to submit Final Report for the Center Street Bridge from King & Malone Engineers". Reno Ciry Council Minutes. December 16, 16Townley, John M.

Tough Little Town on the Truckee: Reno Reno, NV: Great Basin Studies Center. p. 81. 17"First Gas Plant Uncovered in Reno." Nevada State Journal. July 16, p. 18"Work is Started on Center Bridge." Nevada State Journal. July 2, p. 19 Plaque Honoring Nevada Pioneer to Be Unveiled in Reno September Nevada State 11 Journal. September 9, p. 20Nevada Historical Society Information File. CENTER STREET BRIDGE (William O'H. Martin Bridge) HAER No. page 5 The residence of William O'Hare Martin, built in stood on the south bank of the Truckee River near the Center Street Bridge. The Martin home was sold and moved to 601 Willow Street and became the Elmcrest Guest House.22 Current Status Today the Center Street Bridge approaches are lined with modern and historic structures.

The United States Post Office to the southwest of the bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places The Holiday Hotel and Casino, sits on the site of the Martin home. The Majestic Theater location is now an asphalt parking lot east of the Mapes Hotel. The Mapes was placed on the on May 4, The Reno City Hall site is now covered with the seven story First Interstate Bank/Cal-Neva Parking Garage. The only structure standing today present during the bridge construction is the Bell Telephone Building which was placed on the on August 6, The Center Street Bridge is one block east of the heart of Reno today. The bridge is a major artery for downtown traffic, currently a one-way street going north. It is one of the five streets that traverse downtown Reno from north to south.

21Walton, Clifford C., compiler. Who's Who for Nevada Portland, OR: Capitol Publishing Company. p. 22Nevada Historical Society Information File. CENTER STREET BRIDGE (William O'H. Martin Bridge) HAER No. page 6

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER NV-13. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

"Center Street Bridge Plan Approved." Nevada State Journal. December 31, page "City Accepts New Bridge." Nevada State Journal. December 7, page Comer, Robert. "Bridge Over Truckee Waters." Nevada State Journal. August 2, pages El and E3. "First Gas Plant Uncovered in Reno." Nevada State Journal. July 16, page Goodwin, Victor. Water and Related Land Resources, Central Lahonton Basin: Flood Chronology of Truckee River Sub-Basin United States Department of Agriculture, National Forest Service. Knight, Kenneth C. and T. H. Turner. An Jn1:entory of Nevada's Historic Bridges. Carson City, NV: Nevada Department of Transportation. pages "Letter to submit Final Report for the Center Street Bridge from King & Malone Engineers". Reno City Council Minutes.

December 16, "McCarran Pledges Efforts To Keep U. S. Out Of War." Nevada State Journal. September 15, p'age Miluck, Nancy Christian. Nevada, This is Our Land. Genoa, NV: Dragon Enterprises. Nevada Historical Society Information File. "New Bridge Bid Selected." Nevada State Journal. June 22, page "Notice of Proposed Street Improvement by Construction of Bridge on Center Street and the Widening of First Street between Center and Lake Streets in the City of Reno." Reno City Council Minutes. September 25, Nylen, Robert A. "Center Street Bridge NAER Inventory Card." March "Plaque Honoring Nevada Pioneer to Be Unveiled in Reno September Nevada State Journal. September 9, page R. L. Polk's City Directory for Reno, Sparks, and Carson City CENTER STREET BRIDGE (William O'H. Martin Bridge) HAER No.

page 7 "Reno Acquires Bridge Right." Nevada State _Journal. June 22, page Scrugham, James G., ed. Nevada: A Narrative of the Conquest of a Frontier Land. Volume II. New York, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc. Townley, John M. Tough Little Town on the Truckee: Reno Reno, NV: Great Basin Studies Center. Walton, Clifford C., compiler. Who's Who for Nevada Portland, OR: Capitol Publishing Company. "Work Is Started on Center Bridge." Nevada State Journal. July 2, page