New owner Lawrence McNutt stands outside what used to be Reno's historic River Inn on West 4th Street.

Looking over at the weather-beaten former casino building, he told me, “My gosh we hear the best stories about this place. There was a boxing ring and boxing training here. They had an indoor swimming pool and restaurants. People had weddings. Families would come here."

It was a local hotspot back in the early 1900’s, a resort built around a wide area of mineral hot springs right alongside the Truckee River. The earliest written record dates back to the 1870's.

It first opened to the public as Granite Hot Springs, then Lawton Hot Springs, then finally the River Inn. Over time it got bigger. The newest building is the casino and spa structure that was finished in 1983.

From there, it all went downhill. Lawrence told me, "The owner had some financial problems, and they...basically the banks just took it and shut it down."

The hulking remains have bedeviled locals ever since. Today, it’s a sad sight. The old River Inn is a wreck, already picked apart by vandals. Lawrence tells me, "There's got to be 200 or 300 broken windows in this place."

How did such an amazing place stay closed for 38 years? Many buyers were interested in reopening it, but were deterred by new codes and regulations. "They wouldn't be able to get in here with fire trucks, so there's really no high density commercial use for the property. And when you start looking at the cost of maintaining it and keeping it, it just doesn't make sense."

Except to Lawrence, which brings us to the River Inn's next life. You can soak in the hot pools again…if you know Lawrence. This…is now his private home.

"I wanted to be on the river! And I couldn't find a house I wanted, so I started Google Earth-ing down the river and I ran across this place."

He paid $200,000, with $13,000 a month lease payments to the railroad. Lawrence has already started renovations. How long will it take until its back in shape? "Ahhh, never! I mean honestly, I'm never going to finish, you know? I want to move in. In 6 months I want to be living in the main building."

For now, he lives in the parking lot in a motor home. How many people have told him he's crazy? He tells me, most of them. But you won't think that when you see his view.

And Lawrence invites you to follow his long journey to bring the river in back to its old glory. We have a link to the River Inn's page here.

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