10 buildings in Nevada that are older than the state itself

The oldest buildings in Nevada date back to the mid-1800s, and you’d be surprised to see that many of them are not only still standing but also fully functional.

Our fair, sunny Nevada has been lighting up the Western U.S. since it became an official state mid-Civil War in 1864, but some of the land’s oldest enduring architecture actually predates its statehood. That’s right: The oldest buildings in Nevada that are still standing date back to 1855—nine years before Nevada became part of the country—and we’re here to take a tour down memory lane to see which exact buildings are left, what they’ve been throughout their long lives, and what they are now. 

Note: This means that ruins where there are no full buildings left, like Fort Churchill, aren’t included in this list despite being some of the oldest structures in the state; we specifically rounded up buildings in Nevada that are still standing.

1. Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort (1855)

Address: 500 E Washington Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101

Now a state historic park, the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort is Nevada’s oldest building, having been built in 1855. Five more decades would pass before the area officially became Las Vegas, but Sin City would perhaps never have existed if it weren’t for the 30 or so Mormon settlers who found this area, now on E. Washington Blvd., and built the fort with help from the Paiute Indigenous peoples. One by one, adobe bricks brought this fort to life, and it even included two-story buildings throughout, creating a hotspot rife with potential, even if the Mormons left only a couple of years after constructing it.

And it lived up to that potential. Over the years, the fort and its surrounding land have been a general store aimed at aiding travelers in the region, a ranch owned by a local politician, housing for locals, and even a restaurant at one point. It wasn’t until 1991 that the property fell under the purview of the Nevada Division of State Parks, which has been maintaining the land and the fort since. Important to note is that the entire fort hasn’t weathered all these years, but some individual buildings and walls remain, with the historic park being frequented for picnics and other outings. 

The Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort. (David Stanley/CC BY 2.0)

2. The Pink House (1855)

Nevada’s State Historic Preservation Office officially recognizes the Old Mormon Fort as Nevada’s oldest building, but it’s not the only building from circa 1855 that’s still standing. The Reese-Johnson-Virgin House in Genoa, now known as The Pink House, was also built in 1855, according to the building’s official website. In the 1850s, Nevada was first being settled by Mormons and other folks traveling westward for the first time, and Genoa became pivotal in the state’s formation, as it became an outpost during the Gold Rush. One such fortune-chaser, John Reese, constructed The Reese-Johnson-Virgin House so that he had a home next to him gristmill, but over the years, it became a “de facto town hall” and a home to others, as noted in The Pink House’s detailed history document. As for the Johnson and Virgin in the building’s original name, a merchant named J.R. Johnson purchased the home in 1870—we can thank Johnson for the house’s titular color, which it didn’t have before he took over the property—and district attorney Daniel Webster Virgin succeeded Johnson in ownership of the now-rosy house.

The building went through many, many owners over the following hundred years, though none of them left as big of a mark as the original trio did, which is why the home included all three of their surnames for so long. Now, The Pink House continues to be renovated and maintained, and it’s a functioning restaurant that also features live music on occasion. The restaurant’s wine and cocktails—known affectionately as Rocktails—are noteworthy, as are its pizzas. We’ll take The Finocchio, please! (That’s a fennel-centric pizza with an herby crust and complementary Italian sausage. Yum!) Ultimately, this is one place you’ll definitely want to visit if you enjoy both history and good eats.

3. Foreman-Roberts House (1859)

Address: 1207 N Carson St, Carson City, NV 89701

Our next entry on the list is one that’s been standing since 1859 but has been moved, not always gracing the streets of Carson City. According to the city’s official website, the historic building was relocated from Old Washoe City in 1873. (For those unfamiliar with the area, that’s less than 20 miles.) As you’d expect from its name, the house’s original owner was James Doane Roberts, and he and his wife, Annie Roberts, moved it to Carson City with the help of the nearby railroad (via Clairitage Press). However, despite being named after the Roberts, the property didn’t stay in the family forever, and it even faced being razed by the city.

You see, James and Annie’s youngest son, Thurman, assumed the home when his parents passed away, but he didn’t leave the house for anyone specific like his parents did for him. Instead, his will read that the house belongs to “the children of Nevada,” per Clairitage Press. The house remained frozen in time for many years—it did, however, get added to the National Register of Historic Places in the late ‘70s—but today, the Carson City Historical Society is based out of it. The group, in its previous iteration known as the Nevada Landmarks Society, helped stop the building from being razed thanks to aid from everyday folks from across the society who also wanted to see the city’s history properly preserved. Now, you can visit the house on an appointment basis, as it’s become a bit of a museum in addition to housing the Carson City Historical Society, and the society has invested ample money into maintaining and updating the home to keep it functioning and beautiful for many more years to come.

The Foreman-Roberts House. (Jjeffrey Beall/CC BY-SA 3.0)

4. Stewart-Nye House (1860)

Address: 108 N Minnesota St, Carson City, NV 89703

Like many of the other oldest buildings in Nevada, Carson City’s longest-standing structure has ties to religion. The Stewart-Nye House was built by U.S. Senator William Stewart in the autumn of 1860, so one can only imagine that the temperature outside was probably perfect for construction work (via the Nevada Appeal). Carson City had only been an official township for two years, but progress on its development was booming, with Stewart making waves by building his home there as the state’s very first senator. The house later came under the ownership of James Nye, bringing the two names in the property’s name full circle. Nye, too, was a politician—the Nevada territory’s first governor—but years later, the Catholic church acquired the house and began using it as the home of a local rector.

This lasted for decades, but today, the Stewart-Nye House is home to the Taggart & Taggart Law Firm, operated by lawyers Sonia and Paul Taggart. In addition to Sonia and Paul, the firm boasts five other employees who all fight for “water law and water right management in the state of Nevada,” according to the law firm’s website. While you can’t just mosey on in this building since it’s a privately owned business, you can still drive by and admire how far it’s come—and what good condition it’s in. If its images online are anything to go by, its stonework is beautiful, and seeing it in person would be reason enough to trek out to it.

The Stewart Nye Residence. (Barbmathers/CC BY-SA 3.0)

5. Caterpillar’s Hookah Lounge (early 1860s)

Address: 314 S Carson St, Carson City, NV 89703

Carson City is one of Nevada’s oldest cities, and with that comes more than one of the state’s oldest buildings. This brings us to Caterpillar’s Hookah Lounge, which is only the latest incarnation of 314 S Carson St. Interestingly, the exact construction year for this building isn’t known, and Zillow seemingly erroneously specifies it being built in 1917. However, archivist Guy Rocha told the Nevada Appeal that he believes this building to be the city’s oldest commercial building, whereas the Stewart-Nye House is the oldest private residence (despite now being a law firm). Backing up his claim is an ad from “The Silver Age”—a Carson City newspaper from the time—from May 1861 that showcases a furniture store by the name of Cheek & Holland setting up shop there. As the Nevada Appeal clarifies, the surrounding buildings weren’t constructed until after the then-furniture store.

This Carson St. building has been home to many businesses over the years, though some of them have been lost to time. For instance, before it morphed into Caterpillar’s Hookah Lounge, the building was an antiques store. But now you can give hookah a try in nearly countless standalone flavors and flavor blends, ranging from Double Apple and White Gummi Bear to Galaxy of Darkness (Absolute Zero, Melon Blue, and Blue Raspberry) and Mad Hatter (Spiced Chai, French Vanilla, and Scooby Snacks), according to the business’ website. As for its looks, the building is composed of light-tan bricks with some white bordering, and while it’s nothing too exciting to look at, history and architecture enthusiasts may find great pleasure in viewing it in person.

6. Brewery Arts Center (1864)

Address: 449 W King St, Carson City, NV 89703

At this point, seeing another Carson City building shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Brewery Arts Center’s website notes that its building was constructed in 1864, though this organization didn’t always inhabit it. First, there was the Carson Brewery, and then it became the Nevada Appeal office. However, come 1948, the beautiful building fell into the hands of the Brewery Arts Center, and 160 years later, the organization still owns and maintains the building and property. In fact, it’s expanded, bringing a neighboring church under its ownership and transforming it into a performance hall to help foster the talent and experience of local artists. After all, its mission statement says its purpose is “[e]nriching the quality of life by cultivating arts and culture for all.” 

And that it does—doubly so by being a historic building that people come from far and wide to see in person. As we know by now, there are debates about which buildings are the oldest in the area, but the Brewery Arts Center interestingly calls its “the oldest commercial building in Nevada.” We can’t verify if this is true, but we can attest that its gothic style stands tall and true all these decades later, showing how much care was put not only into its initial construction but also any renovation that’s gone into it. If you’re lucky, you might just see the building’s famed ceiling wreath details, which were crafted and designed when the building was first constructed and have stood the test of time. Truly a sight to behold.

Carson Brewing Company building/The Brewery Arts Center. (Jeffrey Beall/CC BY-SA 3.0)

7. First Presbyterian Church (1864)

Address: 100 N Nevada St, Carson City, NV 89703

Nailing down where to see Carson City’s famous First Presbyterian Church can be tricky, as its old-school but still-standing building doesn’t actually seem to be where its services are held. The old building is located on Nevada St. in a residential neighborhood, and a quick look at Google Maps shows that the building is on the corner of its block and has a serene surrounding, including plenty of trees and a couple of benches. It looks beautifully maintained, with its white bricks providing a positive gothic facade for the church.

Today, it seems that at least most of the church’s official gatherings occur on its N Division St. property, but the N Nevada St. building stands firmly in its history. The church itself was formed in 1861, and after a few years of work, its people welcomed a new religious building to the city thanks to the work on their new church being complete. If that weren’t interesting enough, Mark Twain—you know, the one of “Huckleberry Finn” and “Tom Sawyer” fame—helped the church cross the finish line after he donated the proceeds needed to finish the building’s roof (via The Record-Courier). Over the years, the building has been continuously upgraded. For example, stained-glass windows have been added over time, and the building’s famous bell tower breathed new life into it upon its addition in 1894. Ultimately, the building is showing its age, which is why the new church was so necessary. But this remains a place any history buff will surely want to check off of their to-see list, especially if you also love classic literature and authors.

The First Presbyterian Church in Carson City. (Scott Schrantz/Nevada Appeal)

8. Orion Clemens House (1864)

Address: 502 N Division St, Carson City, NV 89703

The Orion Clemens House is near our previous entry, the First Presbyterian Church, because of one central figure in both buildings’ histories: Mark Twain. Orion Clemens was Twain’s brother, with the latter’s birth name actually being Samuel Clemens. While Twain lived here sometimes, Clemens and his wife, Mollie, were the main inhabitants of the house, which is on the same street as the church’s new building—funny how that works out, isn’t it? This house is a stunning Victorian home, and it boasts two levels—something that wouldn’t have been the most common at the time, but then again, Clemens and Twain weren’t necessarily common folk. While Twain was becoming an accomplished writer and speaker, his brother was becoming a President Abraham Lincoln-appointed secretary to the Nevada territory’s governor, James Nye from the Stewart-Nye House (#4 on this list).

Today, the house is sometimes referred to as Mark Twain’s House, especially to tourists who are looking to get a picture outside of a famous author’s abode. It’s no wonder why, either: Since 1979, the home has been on the National Register of Historic Places, and rather interestingly, a law firm by the name of Smith & Harmer Ltd appears to be running out of it today. This might mean having a Smith & Harmer sign in the background of your historical-tour photos, but seeing this piece of history might still be worth it, business signs and all. 

Orion Clemens Home in Carson City. (Ken Lund/CC BY-SA 2.0)

9. First United Methodist Church (1865)

Address: 200 N Division St, Carson City, NV 89703

The First Presbyterian Church might be Carson City’s oldest church building, but the First United Methodist Church isn’t far behind. Erected the following year, the massive building cost just $10,000 to build, and its congregation is so vast and well-established in the state’s history that the church has earned the nickname “The Cradle of Nevada Methodism,” according to Around Carson. The building is largely made of tan bricks, and it has a white cross at the pinnacle of its roof. Unlike the Presbyterian church, this building still holds religious ceremonies and sermons, though renovations and modifications have, of course, been made over the many decades since its initial construction. For instance, the church’s tower didn’t gain its current visage until 1948, per Around Carson.

The First United Methodist Church has celebrated more than 150 years of being open to the public for worship, and because it’s not only still standing but also a place people still regularly attend, it’s one of the easiest historical buildings on this list to visit. Of course, you’ll want to be respectful if visiting during a scheduled church day. Otherwise, snapping a photo outside should suffice. Even if you only come for a photo, we recommend checking out this beautiful piece of architecture—and since it’s in the same city as so many other old but beloved buildings, you might as well make a day tour out of it.

First United Methodist Church in Carson City. (Patrick Nouhailler/CC BY-SA 3.0)

10. The Benham-Belz House (c. 1868)

Address: 347 West St, Reno, NV 89501

Rounding out our list is The Benham-Belz House, Reno’s oldest building, which is estimated to have been constructed in 1868 or 1869, according to Reno Historical. As for where the house got its name, you’ve likely already guessed it: The Benham family were the first owners of the property, while the Belz family swooped into it after the Benhams packed their bags to head up north (to Spokane, Washington, to be exact). Proving just how much the times have changed, the Benhams secured the property the house is on for a mere $200, and their Victorian home was built largely with wood, as it was the most abundant resource at the time. Interestingly, patriarch I.T. Benham was a stonemason and builder, so he likely played a role in the construction of his family’s home. The home’s next owner, John Belz, was a barber.

Reno Historical notes that the property is still privately owned, and its Zillow page confirms that its current owner purchased it on January 31, 2024. This older house is listed as having three bedrooms and one bathroom, which, when combined with the common rooms, amount to 1,493 square feet. The property is in downtown Reno and surrounded by business, likely a consequence of being so old and the rest of the city being built around it. It sticks out like a sore thumb, but that’s honestly what makes his cute, red house so charming. 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.