History in the Making

History in the Making. The Rest of the Story. , Gold Turns to Rust , The Mansion Turns to Shambles , AFTER EILLEY LOST THE MANSION IN 1876, the grand house passed through a number of different hands. Myron C. Lake first acquired the mansion and worked hard to revive its glory. The picnics and social affairs continued, but to limited success. One idea he had was to convert the mansion into an insane asylum. Before that happened however, Theodore Winters acquired the property, in the hopes of transforming the mansion into the "new Monte Carlo." He never achieved that dream, but he did revive the picnic season and visitors briefly returned to Bowers Mansion., EVENTUALLY, Winters gave the mansion to a friend as a gift, but by 1894 that gift had fallen into sad disrepair. All but abandoned, the house was soon in a terrible state of decay. Jackrabbits and birds moved in; the doors were nailed shut; the fishpond was filled with weeds; dry fountains crumbled in the mansion's front yard, and giant ivy leaves spread all over the exterior of the house. Homeless vagabonds were the only people who used the bathhouses anymore., The Riter Family , To the Rescue , IN 1902, A MAN NAMED HENRY RITER was drinking a pint of beer when he spotted a painting of the Bowers Mansion hanging in a Reno saloon. He found the mansion to be so impressive that he bought the painting and the house site-unseen! He paid $1,000 for the mansion and its 46 acres of surrounding land. Little did he know of the mansion's state of disrepair., A MAN BORN TO MODEST MEANS, Mr. Riter worked hard as a businessman, eventually acquiring a small fortune. He was in a good position to splurge on revitalizing the mansion to its original glory. Riter and his wife set to work restoring the property to turn it into a glamorous resort and picnic destination. For the next two years, the mansion underwent intensive repairs, preparing the historic house for its next big debut as a top-notch attraction., The Party Goes On , Reviving Eilley's Vision , ONCE THE MANSION WAS RESTORED, the Riters oversaw a long summer of entertaining and parties in 1905. The season ended with a special moonlight picnic for all local residents. Beneath the Nevada sky, under a bright full moon, guests swam in the pools, danced till dawn, and enjoyed delicious food., OVER THE YEARS, Mr. Riter leased the mansion to several different people. While he always remained the mansion's owner, and always kept Eilley’s vision for the property alive, he did not live full-time in the house until 1915. At one point, a doctor ran the mansion. He used the medicinal qualities of the hot springs to cure patients. Later on, new leaseholders remodeled the house into a hotel. They boasted that the mansion provided first class meals and rooms, a fine dancing platform, and the best swimming pools in the state., MR. RITER CARED FOR THE MANSION until his 80th birthday. Then, in 1943, he decided it was time to sell the family estate., Reno Women's Civic Club , The Women Who Saved Bowers Mansion , HENRY RITER'S ONLY WISH FOR HIS BELOVED BOWERS MANSION was that it be sold as a park, so that future generations could enjoy the estate just as their parents had. He and his wife waited eagerly to see if the state would purchase their home and make it into a state park., LITTLE GOOD NEWS CAME THEIR WAY. It wasn't until a chilly winter morning that the fate of Bowers Mansion was revealed: a group of local women would buy the property! They were cash poor, but passionate to save the historic house. Mr. Riter accepted their down payment of only $1.00 with the understanding that they could get the rest of the money in three months time., THE RENO WOMEN'S CIVIC CLUB switched into high gear. They began a statewide drive to raise funds: they advertised in newspapers, and they hung giant street signs reading: "Help Buy Bowers Mansion!", A Park is Born , Washoe County Parks , BY LATE MAY, 1943, the Reno Women's Civic Club had gathered $25,000 in contributions, but unfortunately they needed $75,000 more to acquire the estate. Hearts were heavy until they received some exciting and unexpected news: Washoe County would pay the rest! County commissioners had come to realize how important Bowers Mansion was to the public, thanks to the women's publicizing efforts. The historic site would be saved., THE BOWERS MANSION RESTORATION COMMITTEE was soon formed and volunteers got busy improving the old building's structure and refurbishing the rooms with Victorian era pieces. The Reno Women's Civic Club remained deeply involved in all future restoration activities. The mansion was reopened to the public in 1950., FOR THE PAST HALF-CENTURY, ongoing repairs and maintenance of Bowers Mansion have been under the supervision of Washoe County Parks. We are proud to protect and manage this valuable landmark of local heritage., Enriching Our Future , Protecting the Legacy , BOWERS MANSION SYMBOLIZES not only an important dimension in Nevada state history, but also the energy, commitment, and strength of those that fought to preserve it. Historic resources like this are irreplaceable. Together, we can ensure that they will last for generations to come., Photos courtesy: , Nevada Historical Society , University of Nevada Special Collection , Bowers Mansion