Dr. James E. Church

Dr. Church ascending Mt. Rose

If you’ve ever hiked the Jones-Whites Creek Loop to Church’s Pond, you may have wondered why it’s called Church’s Pond. James Edward Church came to Nevada from Michigan in 1892 to teach Latin, German, Literature, and Art Appreciation at the University of Nevada, Reno. In our neck of the woods, he is most famous for being the first Euro-American to climb Mt. Rose in the winter, which he completed in 1895. After travelling to complete graduate studies, he returned to Reno and helped start the Mount Rose Meteorological Observatory in 1906. Through this endeavor, he made regular winter ascents of Mt. Rose to gather data about winter conditions and snowpack, and eventually developed the Mt. Rose snow sampler in 1909 to measure the water content of snow, a system that is still used today. In the 1920s and 1930s, he traveled internationally to consult on snow sampling and measuring techniques, gaining an international reputation as an expert in snow science. In addition to this important invention, Church also contributed to the cultural development of Reno through founding the Nevada Art Gallery (now the Nevada Museum of Art). Dr. Church is one of the many visionaries and innovators who has played a role in making Reno the fascinating place it is today.

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