Maine Street Historic District

The area was first populated in the 1900s when a ranch was founded by James W. Richards. Richards' ranch was purchased by state senator Warren W. Williams, who named the surrounding streets "Maine", named after his home state, Maine. He platted the land and introduced more buildings. A 1906 report noted that at that year, the center included a lively collection of general stores, saloons, hotels, restaurants, and drug stores, as well as a butcher, confectionery, bakery, bank, saddle shop, and furniture store.[2]

In 1954, a severe earthquake struck the area, which led to modernization. This happened because all the buildings in the district were destroyed, so people rebuilt them into a more contemporary style.[3] Typical modernization efforts included installing slipcovers over the existing façade, replacing existing wood windows, and adding awnings over entrances. These projects utilized contemporary materials, including aluminum siding, steel window frames, plate glass, asbestos tiles, and concrete brick.[2]

Examples of buildings that were modernized after their destruction:[2]

• Woodliff Block (116–126 S. Maine) had its shaped parapet replaced with concrete blocks
• The Fallon Arcade and Churchill County Bank Building (131–143 S. Maine) had its castellated parapet removed.