March – April 2020

We asked to see your favorite structure for this issue, and with no guidelines other than that, our submissions ran the gamut. And we love it! From historic buildings to remnants of the past and impressive sites today, the photos on these pages reveal the Silver State is rich in structural art. ... read more

Emma Wixom was born on Feb. 7, 1859, in the Alpha mining camp near Nevada City, California. Her father Dr. William Wixom moved his family to Austin to start a physician’s practice shortly before Nevada achieved statehood. It was in Austin that the girl’s bright future began to shine, and her talent brightened an otherwise dusty mining camp. From there, it was only a matter of time before her mellifluence would grace the rest of the world.  ... read more

With an arsenal of abandoned historical buildings and eerie locations, Nevada can occasionally be spooky. Much of the energy stems from the state’s mining history, which got grizzly and dark at times. Mine fires and construction catastrophes are engrained in Nevada, as are Wild West-style murders. Some people attribute these factors to the reported hauntings at many of the state’s oldest mines and buildings. Not everything paranormal needs to be scary, though. Many people believe in the presence of residents past, whose ties to a particular area simply withstand the test of time.  Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there’s a strong case to be made that different buildings or areas can affect our senses in different ways. This certainly has been the case with countless paranormal investigators that have spent countless hours in the Silver State searching for something spectral. ... read more

Las Vegas is known for its toasty temperatures, celebrity-studded swimming pools, and steamy nightlife. It’s often called an adult Disneyland where adventure and fantasy can be found around seemingly every corner, and activities of every stripe can be found. There is one thing, however, that many visitors don’t know about Las Vegas: it’s a great place to go skiing and snowboarding.  You read that correctly, and while no one is comparing the Spring Mountains to the Alps, with just a modicum of effort, a winter adventure awaits above the desert of southern Nevada.  ... read more

Voting is now open in our 23rd anniversary Best of Nevada readers’ poll! Vote here! Please read all rules at the top of the survey.  Cast your vote for a chance to win a southern Nevada getaway package: 2-3 nights stays at these great resorts Food & beverage credits for restaurants Spa packages 3-hour zipline tours over ... read more

Fallon man walked with a keen eye for yet another find so that the past would not be lost to the present...or to the future. ... read more

Another Round of Bad Boys The Wild West saw more than its fair share of criminal capers. BY RON SOODALTER Once again, we step out into the dusty street to face down a handful of early Nevada’s baddest bad guys. For those who have read the first two installments of the Outlaws of Nevada trilogy, the list of desperados who chose to make their ... read more

The Rattlesnake Club offers a new vision for elevated dining in northern Nevada. At the helm of the project is pulmonologist and restauranteur Dr. Jeff Bacon. He’s on a mission to bring the best in locally grown, seasonal fare to the region. To facilitate this vision, he’s assembled a winning team which includes Executive Chef Ethan Phelps and Managers Trish Ide and Dave Grayden.  The Reno restaurant has overcome numerous road bumps since opening in June 2019, making the club’s hard-won success all the sweeter. ... read more

A bit of a bold statement was made by a “New York Times” architecture and design blogger when she stated “The shipping container could be the 21st century’s brick.” Bold perhaps, but not without merit. The containers are inexpensive, easy to transport and set up, sustainable, and watertight, to name just a few attributes.  Need further proof? Container parks dot the planet, and in the last decade or so, industrial structures inviting shopping, dining, recreation, and more have sprung up everywhere from California to Dubai. In Nevada, there are three alone, each with its own vibe and intention, but all distinctly engaging.  ... read more

Local Lore & Mysterious Matters Episode 2: A casino’s riches vanish, a ghostly stickup, and an elusive serpent. BY ERIC CACHINERO Mankind’s natural curiosity for the mysterious and unexplained spans our entire history. Where is the lost city of Atlantis? Will we ever know the identity of Jack the Ripper? How were ancient sites like S ... read more