Nevada History: On The GO! – The Civic Life of Verna Stumpf Paterson: Democracy and Public Service in Mid-Century Reno (Off-site, SVL)
October 4 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Nevada History – On The GO! (Sierra View Library)
The Civic Life of Verna Stumpf Paterson: Democracy and Public Service in Mid-Century Reno
October 4, 2025
1:00 to 2:30 pm
Nevada History – On The GO! Lecture 2025
The Nevada Historical Society’s building may be closed for an exciting remodel, but you can still enjoy their fascinating lectures at the Sierra View Library during their closure. NHS Nevada History – On The GO! Series is combining its three history programs, which delve into Nevada History, Lake Tahoe, and the American Gaming Archives’ history of gambling and gaming. Make sure to visit Sierra View Library on the first Saturday of every month to learn more about Nevada’s history through these engaging talks that are geared towards audiences of all ages.
Kim Roberts
Speaker: Kim Roberts, historian and former photo curator at Special Collections at UNR.
Title of Talk: The Civic Life of Verna Stumpf Paterson: Democracy and Public Service in Mid-Century Reno
Summary of Talk: Verna Stumpf Paterson trained as a chemist, moving to Reno in 1923 to attend graduate school. She never became a scientist. In a world where women’s professional options were limited, she instead threw herself into the issues of her day, becoming engaged with various civic and community groups who guided and informed the citizens of Nevada through the maze of economic and social challenges they faced. Through organizations such as the American Association of University Women, she remained active her entire life, particularly in the buildup to WWII and the post-war environment. This lecture will examine the life and community service of this extraordinary woman, showing how local history feeds into the broader movements that define our country’s history.
Speaker Bio: Kimberly Roberts grew up all over the American West, mainly in Colorado. She studied literature and history at Colorado State University and has a master’s degree in the history of photography, landscape, and science from the University of Nevada, Reno, where she served as the university’s photograph curator in Special Collections. In 2003, she and her husband bought an unassuming Colonial Revival cottage in what is now Reno’s Wells Avenue Bungalow District, a house built in 1923 by Chester Paterson for his bride, Verna Stumpf.
We would like to thank our partner, the Washoe County Library System and the Sierra View Library for hosting our off-site lectures.
Sierra View Library has been serving communities from Midtown to South Reno since 1987. Located inside the Reno Town Mall, directly across from the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, the library has two entrances. The front entrance allows visitors to stroll by shops and businesses in the mall, while the second entrance is accessible from the rear, south side of the mall. This back entrance has an ADA accessible lift. The address is 4001 S Virginia St, Reno, NV 89502.
