Submitted by Karl Breckenridge
OK – it’s Monday morning. We’ve been cooped up by my count since St. Patrick’s Day a week ago – are old habits starting to die out? Not for me, neither. Two friends (that I know of) are having birthdays today – gotta get Lew Carnahan after our “workout” at Sports West today and buy him a Dodger Dog at Simon’s. Then for Nettie Oliverio, a suitable taco at the Jesse. Whoops – we ain’t doin’ either one of those today – so Happy Birthday, Lew and Nettie – you each have a rain check!
Whoops – and I just threw my new editor Bob Conrad a curve – let’s see if you read “aren’t” or ain’’t” in that last graf….
Onward. For this bright Monday morning we’ll start a little game: Who is the oldest person you knew at one time in your life? The person doesn’t have to be close to you, nor even alive right now (in fact, probably won’t be). The criteria are that you knew him or her well enough to remember something about him. Or her.
I’ll start by throwing out the name of a person I knew as a six- or eight-year old, who was born a year after Nevada became a state in 1864.
1864! I occasionally portray James Nye, the first governor of Nevada, and Ludovica Dimon (Graham) was born while he was governor (barely). She was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1865 and was a remarkable lady who came to Reno off-and-on in her early life and finally liked our town so much that she built a big house here.
She had lots of money from her family, who owned a shipping and shipbuilding company – Dimon Navigation – with a head shed in Baltimore but offices all over the nation, including one in San Francisco. Her family before she was born owned the Sea Witch, a tea ship that held the record for a sailing ship from Hong Kong to New York harbor. 74 days, it took that sturdy craft in 1849 – probably still a record.
Ludovica – “Lou” to her friends and family I spoke to about her a decade ago – loved life and married well and often. Dr. John Graham was her second and second-to-last husband. From him she took (and kept!) his name, dispelling the rumor that the home was built by the profits from Graham-Paige automobiles or Graham crackers. She did it on her own.
How did I know her, to make her eligible for this prize today, you ask? As a kid growing up on Ralston Street across from Whitaker Park, together with the rest of the Upper Whitaker/Little Italy rug-rats, like Tom Cook, Margaret Eddleman, Mary Eickbush, Neal Cobb, Marilyn Burkham (Ma Bell), Don Hartman, Cecelia Molini, Lana Scheuller and a few more, we were welcomed by Lou to play in the expansive yard of her home at 1075 Ralston Street, which you may know better as the Sigma Nu fraternity house. When there was a Sigma Nu fraternity, but that’s for another column another day.
She was a nice lady. She offered us cookies and drinks. She turned the expansive grounds of her home over to the University of Nevada repeatedly for garden parties. When she passed away in 1952 the U of N was one of her principal benefactors.
Ludovica Dimon Graham, born in 1865 – my nomination for the oldest person I ever knew. Quite a lady. Who’s yours? Let’s write about him or her. See you back here tomorrow. Be safe, huh?
Karl Breckenridge
Karl Breckenridge was slowly going nuts. So he decided to help out This is Reno by writing a daily out-of-his-mind column for the duration of the coronavirus shutdown. Now that it’s over he’s back to his usual antics, drinking coffee with the boys at the Bear and, well, we’re not sure what else. But he loved sharing his daily musings with you, so he’s back, albeit a little less often, to keep on sharing. Karl grew up in the valley and has stories from the area going back to 1945. He’s been writing for 32 years locally.
Read more from Karl Breckenridge
Cheers 4 – the Lear steam bus
The latest news on the Lear Theater has Karl remembering some of the Lear’s other projects, including a steam-powered bus.
Cheers 3 – the groceries II
Karl did not limit his column to ten items or less, so get out of the express line to read this history of Reno grocery markets.
Cheers 2 – the groceries I
Karl got a little distracted this week, starting off with a list of Reno’s great groceries of yesterday then slipping on some ice.
Cheers 1 – Of wine and Little Italy
Karl is back, making us all wonder why we didn’t spend more time during stay-at-home orders pressing grapes into homemade wine.
Day 75 – Karl’s retired to the Bear
From the get-go our pal Karl said he’d write “a short squib on a daily basis – nothing political, nothing controversial,” well, except for that one column.
Day 74 – the Truckee’s picturesque islands (updated)
Karl’s pal Jody shares the rich history of bootlegging, decorating, and engineering within the confines of the Truckee River’s banks and its picturesque islands.
Day 72 – Hobos, tigers and leprechauns
Karl recollects the series of eateries that drew diners to the corner of Virginia Street and Gentry Way for several decades.
Day 70 & 71 – in Flanders Fields
Karl shares a poem by John McCrae to mark Memorial Day.
Day 69 – The Nugget shark: John meets Jaws
Karl was talking about baby shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, long before the kids these days had ever been born.
Day 67 – What I like about Reno High
Karl, er, Carmine Ghia, writes an end-of-school-year essay to turn in to Mrs. Lehners about everything he likes about Reno High School.
Day 67 – 25 Bret Harte
Karl saddles up and heads to Newlands Manor where Western movies star Reno Browne grew up, and Lash Larue paid a visit or two.
Day 66 – Out for dinner we go
Karl goes out to eat at the El Tavern Motel, a truck stop outside the Reno city limits on the Lincoln Highway.
Day 65 – Dawn Bunker
Karl is back in action with a fresh story of which students of Mrs. Bunker’s class at Jessie Beck Elementary School still won’t spill the beans.
Day 64 – abducted
Karl Breckenridge called in to This Is Reno editors this morning with a hands-in-the-air, what-can-I-do sense of resignation.
Day 63 – Wedding chapels
Karl’s enjoying coffee with pals at the Bear, so today Jody stands at the altar to share the history of Reno’s wedding chapel industry.
Day 62 – the mansion at 2301 Lakeside Drive
Karl’s 7-year-old alter ego rides his bike down to Virginia Lake to explore the Hancock Mansion, a nifty home complete with a bomb shelter, sunroof and doll collection.
Day 61 – Basque hotels
Karl wanders back in time to 1960, a time when multiple Basque hotels served up minestrone soup, English lessons, banking, and accommodations.
Day 60 – the bygone Greyhound terminal
Karl’s synapses are firing today after hearing mention of Reno’s Greyhound bus terminal on Stevenson Street, now razed.
Day 59 – Don’t tell Mom
Karl rewinds to Mother’s Day to share a story from the archive about Grandpas without a Clue and another ragtop adventure, by reader demand.
Day 58 – School stuff
Karl considers the value of a school name as the WCSD moves to rename one of the area’s older remaining schools and open a new one.
Day 57 – Pedalin’ around Vine Street
Karl rides his bike through history, remembering some of the places and people that helped to build Reno into the city it is today.
Submitted opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of This Is Reno. Have something to say? Submit an opinion article or letter to the editor here.
