This here is one of Carson City's grand old stone buildings. It is the state orphanage, variously called the Orphan's Home, Children's Home, and Sunny Acres. It was built in 1903 to replace the previous orphanage, which had burned down the year before.
The original wooden orphanage in 1885.
The very first orphanage in Nevada was located in Virginia City and operated by the Sisters of Charity. It opened in 1867, but after a couple of years the Legislature decided that taking care of homeless children was the State's job, so they authorized a State Orphan's Home to be built in Carson City. Ormsby County donated ten acres on Fifth Street just west of Stewart, which back then (and indeed up until the mid 1900s) was on the outskirts of town.
A large Victorian dormitory (shown above) was built on the site, for a total cost of $8,500. On October 28, 1870, the first child was admitted to the new home. It operated for over 30 years until the fire in 1902.
The new stone orphanage in 1910.
After the fire, the orphans again found themselves homeless, so the Legislature had to act quick to get the Children's Home rebuilt. This time the orphanage was built out of sandstone blocks quarried from the State Prison, the same blocks that make up the Capitol and several other buildings in town. The cost for the new Children's Home was $38,000, and it was finished and opened in 1903. This new building was not only fireproof but also much larger, and at any given time dozens of children called it home. The kids were treated well, with warm beds and good food. Townspeople would donate money to the home to buy the children Christmas presents or a day at the movies. They went to city schools, attended church, and held jobs on the farm in the back. And many of them went on to lead successful lives, carrying with them fond memories of their time at the children's home.
Sunny Acres in the 1950s
During the 40s and 50s the building went through several changes. In 1948 the place was renamed to “Sunny Acres”, which was a more cheerful-sounding name than the State Orphan's Home. Around the same time there were also structural changes made to the building. The two-story cupola and flagpole were removed, and most of the fireplaces were taken out, probably because the building was remodeled with central heating. But as the 1950s drew to a close, Sunny Acres' days were already numbered.
A closeup of the cupola.
This is progress, 1960s style. By the mid 20th century, the idea of orphanages was out and the concepts of adoption and foster homes were in. So in 1959 the State voted to shut down the Children's Home in favor of building single-family cottages where children could live in a small, more intimate setting.
Unfortunately, this decision led to the end of the Sunny Acres building. A huge dormitory had no place in this new philosophy of caring for orphans, and old buildings like this had no place in the Modernist views of the time. Already a plan had gone around (and, thankfully, was shot down) to demolish the State Capitol building in favor of modern office structures. The Arlington Hotel met with the wrecking ball in the 1960s, as well as quite a few other old buildings in town. Preservation just wasn't a priority back then. So rather than relocating the child services division and finding a new use for this excellent building, they planned to build the “cottages” on the same site.
That's why in 1963 the Children's Home was torn down, and this great piece of Carson City architecture lost. Today the original cottonwood trees still outline the spot where it used to stand, but there's nothing else left.
Boys and Girls Club Gymnasium
Actually, that's not entirely true. The site is presently filled with a scattered mess of buildings, some of them dating back to the 1960s, and some of more recent vintage. The Division of Child and Family Services is still headquartered here in the cottages, and the Boy and Girls Club of Western Nevada has made their home here in some of the newer buildings. But if you work your way past the cottages, past the Boys and Girls Club, you'll find this squat building simply marked “Gymnasium”. And even though it may not seem like it, this building is the one link back to the past. This is the one part of Sunny Acres that was not demolished, for whatever reason.
So here in the gymnasium we have the one remnant of the old children's home that used to sit on the site. And remarkably, it predates even the stone building from 1903. In this picture below of the orphan's home, looking east from Stewart Street sometime probably in the 1890s, you can see the old wooden orphanage building on the left, and some other farm-type buildings to the right. But on the far right, at the edge of the picture, is something that looks familiar. Yes, it's the Boy and Girls Club gymnasium, still standing on the same spot a hundred years ago.
State Orphan's Home when the wooden dormitory was still standing.
How this one building managed to survive fire, politics, and the bad taste of the 60s, I'll never know. But it's one reminder that this little part of Carson City has always been dedicated to the children.
And what about the cottages that were so important back in 1963? They are now falling apart and considered “pathetic” by state employees. DCFS is gearing up to vacate the cottages, and after that they'll be scheduled for demolition themselves.
So much for modernism.
Your online community for Carson City, Nevada
bbkld5 said:
on Thursday, April 13, 2006 at 10:05 AM
I work for DCFS and will be moving into one of those cottages in a week. Believe me, they should be torn down. :-)
Michael Corrieri (Guest) said:
on Monday, October 16, 2006 at 11:51 AM
I lived in one of those cottages, that was called "Cottage Two", and my cottage parents were Mr. and Mrs. Rex, whom we called "Mom" and "Dad". I went there in July of 1968, being transferred up from Child Haven in Las Vegas, after a failed stay at St. Jude's Ranch. Mr. and Mrs. Rex were older at the time I came, and had spent their entire lives there, dating back to the original orphanage buildings. They were unable to have children, and had come there as a young couple from Texas, signing up for what must have been one of the biggest, and longest term, parenting job in history. Their job as parents never ended - and they always took us little ones with them on their vacations too.
It's ironic that the Sunny Acres sign lasted such a long, long, time. We had no idea what it meant - we thought it might have something to do with the driving range next door (on the other side of the bowling alley and motor pool garage), or perhaps the cattle grazing in the fields between us and Snake Hill, where sat the prison.
The front door of Cottage Two lined up directly across the street from J.C. Fremont elementary school, which is now (or was last I visited) a postal annex. We had fabulous flower beds all the way around our home, with a big sunny porch that faced the ball field. Mom (Mrs. Rex) was an osbsesive gardner, and we would drive their little truck out to a sheep ranch every fall, and load up on manure to spread on the garden beds for the following spring. She had one several prizes for these flowers - and we all shared in the glory.
The side door was off our laundry room, and my bedroom was two windows in. I imagine some state worker sits in that room now and wonders what it was like. It may be hard to believe, but it was home, and I have very fond and warm memories of the wonderful times, including our Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, that we would share.
I remember the gymnasium well. It had some older, and mostly dangerous, metal playsets, including a giant slide, and a spinning merry-go-round type of equipment that had hanging chains with rings on it. Next door to it was our favorite pastime - the bowling alley!
The Nevada State Childrens Home, and the organization within the State of Nevada, that rescued me as a child is a testament to the good, decent, and loving people of Nevada.
God bless you all - and thank you.
Michael Corrieri
2006
Kenneth Mackie (Guest) said:
on Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 05:18 PM
I am Kenneth Mackie, I also lived at the home from about1964 till about 1976 along with my brother Herbert, I stayed in every cottage at least once I remeber mom and dad rex. My last cottage parents were mom and dad Head. I wasnt a very good kid and looking back every one teally tried to help me but I didnt listen very well. I would like to find everyone and put together a reunion of the rest of our brothers and sisters we all grew up with. They were all my brothers and sisters and I would like to know how every one turned out. Anyone is welcome to e-mail me at any time e-mail address is kennethmackie@yahoo.com Iwould realy like to hear from everyone.
Brent McAllister (Guest) said:
on Friday, July 20, 2007 at 09:33 AM
My name is Brent McAllister. I lived in, if I recall correctly, cottage 1. I was there from 84 to 86. The cottage parents were mom and dad Wilhelm. Over all I enjoyed my time at the home. I wasnt really a bad kid, but I did have my share of grounds restrictions. I remember alot of my brothers and sisters that were there and would really love to hear from them. My email address is usnrdt@kasi.us, feel free to email me and let me know what you are up to these days.
Anonymous said:
on Friday, July 27, 2007 at 09:59 AM
I was at the Carson City children's home from 1973-1975. I was the vicitm of quite alot of abuse in my home so the juvenile authorities placed me at the children's home to live. I was a big troublemaker there, always running away and stealing to get money and food. Most of the time in those days I got beat up by the older kids. Anyway, I was in two of the houses for boys. These days, God has blessed me and taken my difficult past and raised me up to have one of the most impactive ministries and Christian news services in California. I have found that most of us that have had troubled childhoods, like most of the kids at the home had, end up being the most effective ministers once God gets ahold of us.
I hope and pray that everyone from the 1970s is doing well and I pray that all of the kids currently at the home are in good hands.
God Bless You,
James Hartline
Anonymous said:
on Saturday, September 15, 2007 at 09:48 AM
My two brothers and I lived at the home from July, 1954 to November, 1956. We were from Elko, NV and had been sent to the home because we were declared by the local judge as "vandals". I was seven years old when I arrived and it is still hard for me to believe that I could have been so "dangerous" that my bother's and I should be committed to a state institution. I did discover some years later that the Elko County Sheriff's office and local child welfare office had determined that our parents were simply too neglectful and irresponsible. We surely were wild Indians which suited us since our mother was a member of the Temoak Band of the Western Shoshones. I do have very fond memories of our time at the home and believe that it helped give me an insight of what life could be like instead of living from hand to mouth like we were accustomed to. I found our time there to be a very positive experience and think of it quite often now that I'm getting older.
Marthamary Scherer (Reddick) (Guest) said:
on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 01:37 PM
I lived at the children's home from 1964-1973 Do not tear down cottage two without getting Louis Armstrongs Autograph off the wall in cottage two. it is in the small room between the cottage parents room and the laundry room. Yes Micheal it was a girls cottage before a boys. We moved into cottage seven when it got built in summer 1967.
All the bigger kids were good to me and taught me baseball and football. Still love it today. Its a place where I can go and always remember my children's home brother who let a girl play with the boys. Oh yeah you taught me well I taught my three boys how to play. Martha Reddick
Anonymous (Guest) said:
on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 01:54 PM
P.S. Does anyone know where that picture went that was hanging in Mr. Aberstari's office and the new superintendent's office until 1989. It was a picture of the (girls) in cottage 2 with Louis Armstrong. I was the child on his lap and my sisters were standing off to the side and arould Louis. I would like a copy and the original sent to the Louis Armstrong Archives in Long Island, NY. Thank you!
Brenda J Hackney (Guest) said:
on Friday, December 7, 2007 at 02:06 PM
Hello, I'am looking for someone who knew the Stricker Children, who were placed in Sunny Acres in the 1940's. There were 5 Children. My husband, Bill, was the youngest of those children and was adopted by Leonard and Dorothy Hackney, of Reno, Nevada. I have been able to obtain birth dates through the County Adoption Services and the numberof children, but little else. Bill was born in 1947, i have no idea when the other chikdren were placed in the home. I would appreiciate any information at all.
Thanks,
Brenda Hackney
bellereeve@msn.com
brenda j. hackney (Guest) said:
on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 02:13 PM
Hello Again,
January 8th, 2008
Since I have not received a response from my previous e-mail, I wonder if anyone knows how I might obtain a list of the children place in " Sunnyacres Children's Home ? I am really at a dead end here and would love to heqr from anyone who could help find the " Stricker " children. As previously stated, these 5 children were at " Sunnyacres" sometime in the 1940's through 1947.
Sincerely,
Brenda Hackney
bellereeve@msn.com
Madelyn Colautti-Leonard (Guest) said:
on Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 01:35 PM
I lived at Sunny Acres from 1961-64. I graduated from CHS while I was there and attended UNR on a scholarship awarded to the graduate from the Home with the highest GPA by the Carson Nugget. I remember rolling green lawns (Dad Trimble or Mr. Patterson mowed them on a riding mower usually with one of the smaller kids hitching a ride), plenty of good food, caring cottage parents and administrators. I had never had a Christmas before or since like the Christmases we had at the home. Nat and Jody Goldman from Las Vegas and others provided major Chistimas gifts such as stereos and clothing. We permitted 3 major requests and usually got all three from Nat and Jody as well as many other things from other generous individuals and groups who also hosted holiday parties. The atmosphere there was so festive during the holidays. The highlight of Christmas Day was a grand banquet in the main dining hall, where all of us gathered with our cottage parents.
In 1998 the dining hall provided the setting for the reunion of former residents. Richard Little and later John Aberasturi, aided by cottage parents such as the Trimbles, the Pattersons, Mom Sanders, Martha Whitely, Grace Giffen, and Hattie Becker, the seamstress, a blessing on their memories, provided support, direction, inspiration, and, yes, fair discipline, but with affection.
We had weekly passes to the Carson Theatre and the municipal swimming pool (I never took advantage of the swimming passes, preferring to wash walls in the old building to going to the pool, which was mandatory, for an hour or two every day in the summer because I was too modest to be seen in a bathing suit.)
I was among the first group of senior girls to move into the
cottage on Stewart St. with our housemother, Martha Whitely. It was brand new and had state of the art kitchen appliances and a patio where we could barbecue in warm weather. We were able to do our own wash instead of helping in the laundry as we had done upon arrival, and each girl took a turn preparing dinner. Grace Giffen, the relief housemother, took all of us girls who were high school seniors (dressed in nice dresses with hats and white gloves), to the mother-daughter tea sponsored by the DAR of which she was a member.
There was a bowling alley when we first came.
Some of us who were separated from siblings found surrogate families there.
I still have letters from Jody Goldman and Mom (Marguerite) Sanders who was a stickler for good manners.
I remember my time, my mentors and fellow residents at NSCH with gratitude, nostalgia, and affection. NSCH "Sunny Acres" provided a wholesome sheltering environment for many of us who had been either orphaned, neglected, or abused.
I was sorry to see it close and felt sad for the children displaced by the closure. When I am in Carson, I still drive by to get a look at the old place. I am happy that the site is still used to benefit kids.
Anonymous (Guest) said:
on Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 09:30 AM
my name is craig barnhart and i was at nsch from 6/71-12/73.outside of the friends i made the experience was a lonely one.i read some of the posts and i saw one from one of the reddick girls.i want to tell her that i was 9 years old when i came to nsch and was placed in the same cottage as her brother pat.even though he was 6 or 7 years older he didnt mind going out of his way to terrorize and beat me around.i only wish i could have run into him once i became an adult so i could have the profound pleasure of kicking the living shit out of him.i remember he enlisted in the army and that was the last i seen of him.if by now somebody hasnt killed that prick i can only hope he succumbs to a long painful death.
Anonymous (Guest) said:
on Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 10:01 AM
i always wondered what became of the campbell kids,david,denise,&danny.if anyone can has any information please contact me at csmdb1995@yahoo.com.Thank you,Craig Barnhart
Pony Bob said:
on Saturday, March 22, 2008 at 08:13 PM
This is some great historical info about the State
system with the state run foster homes.
Thnaks to everyone for sharing, and thanks
to Scott for this fine website...
I think the state homes were still open when I moved to Carson in 1990. There is plenty of material here for a documentary, sorry to read some of you had a
hard time there, others seem to have thought
it was an okay place to live.
~Bob
www.randomnevada.blogspot.com
Anonymous (Guest) said:
on Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 07:21 PM
I can't believe it has taken me so long to figure out that I could do this.
I lived in cottage 5. 1984 - 1985. I was 13 when I first arrived.
I was picked on in all sorts of ways. Scares that have lasted me a lifetime.
I once wished everybody ill will. Now I'm more curious than anything. I think people treat others poorly, because they were treated poorly, and/or were never taught how to care or be kind. It's sad that "we" have to be taught that.
I now hope everybody has someone to love them, and someone for them to love. Even if it's a pet. Pet's are great. God is now my biggest fan. Molding me, to be who He created me to be. God loves me, He cares, He's gentle. And He's removing 1 scar at a time, 1 day at a time. A.S.