Built in the mid-1940s from 20-year-old plans, the Mapes' art deco style was already becoming nostalgic. It opened as Nevada's tallest building in 1947, and its Sky Room overlooked a town that ...

"When Las Vegas eclipsed Reno, the Mapes reflected that change as well. When the downtown hotel-casino closed its doors ... more than a speck on a railroad map. "I remember it going up, brick ...