The Benham-Belz House, which is believed to be the oldest surviving house built in Reno, sat at 347 West Street, on Lot 8 of Block E of the original Reno townsite, for 150 years. But in July 2025, the historic house left the neighbourhood where it had stood since the 19th century. Its move was not the end of the house’s story, but an effort to preserve it. The historic house has been relocated to a private site near Mayberry Drive and McCarran Boulevard, just as its previous owner wanted. In spring 2024, it was sold to a private party for just $1, with one important condition: it had to be moved and preserved. More than a year later, on 10 July 2025, the house was relocated.
Built in the year Reno’s history began
Reno was barely a town when the house went up. The Central Pacific Railroad began selling lots on the original townsite in May 1868, and the family of I.T. Benham, a stonemason, bought Lot 8 of Block E, according to the Historic Reno Preservation Society (HRPS). The lot is now 347 West Street. The Benham-Belz House was constructed in Reno’s founding year, 1868, or early 1869, according to Reno Historical. No wonder it is the oldest surviving house constructed in Reno. That claim leaves out houses moved to Reno from elsewhere and ranch houses that stood outside town.The Benham family purchased the lot for $200, and the deed of sale was initiated on 4 June 1868, less than a month after Reno’s original land auction. The property was sold by Charles Crocker of the Central Pacific Railroad to Linda Benham, the wife of I.T. Benham, who was also named in the deed.Benham became a builder and contractor. He became one of Reno’s founding builders. HRPS credits him with the Central School, built in 1879 and 1880, a block north of his house. The building later became Reno’s first high school.Around 1880, the Benhams moved to Spokane. Later, in 1883, Reno barber John Belz bought the house, and the Belz family stayed for almost a century. Over the years, Belz became a popular barber in the city. His business was reportedly the first establishment in Reno to install electric lights, another small detail connecting the house and its occupants to the city’s development. When Belz died suddenly of heart failure in 1900, newspapers described him as a man of generous nature, good impulses and steady character. His death was mourned across the city. His daughter Florence lived in the house until her death in 1981 at the age of 87.Over the years, the house underwent many changes. By the time Florence passed away, the house looked different from the one Benham built. Historic photographs show that brick veneer was later applied over the original wood exterior.
Sold for $1, but with a condition
At one point, the house’s future remained uncertain. So, in early 2024, Jacobs Entertainment, the developer behind the Reno Neon Line District, bought the house for $1.2 million, according to local reports. The company’s CEO, Jeff Jacobs, said publicly that he would sell it for $1 to anyone willing to relocate it. The idea was to preserve and maintain it. There were many bids, of course. Jacobs picked Logan and Angelina Needham, a Reno couple, after what the company described as a thorough vetting process. For Jacobs, preserving historic homes mattered as the company reshaped downtown. The sale was announced a few months after the purchase. The move was first expected in the second half of 2024. But it didn’t happen until about a year later.On the morning of the move, the crew dismantled the house into two sections. Two large trailers took the halves to their new location. The new destination was a private site several miles west of downtown. Photos from the day show the two halves on their trailers and the rubble left behind on West Street.According to Needham, a custom steel fabricator, the house has to be brought up to code, which means grounded outlets and non-lead pipes, along with other appearance-related improvements. And now, after more than 150 years on the original Reno townsite, the house sits on a new site.
