Guy Clifton says the story Reno, Nevada played in the life and times of Levi Strauss – the man and the company who made blue jeans famous – is both rich and riveting – literally. The Bavaria-born Strauss was already an established and successful dry goods merchant in San Francisco when Reno tailor Jacob Davis, one of his customers, wrote him a letter that disclosed the unique way he made pants for his customers, using brass rivets at the stress points to help the pants last longer. Davis wanted to patent his new idea but needed a business partner. Levi Strauss agreed and on May 20, 1873, the patent was granted and blue jeans were born. While Reno was key to Strauss’ life, it isn’t clear if he ever set foot in the city.  “Unfortunately, because the company lost all its records in the 1906 earthquake and fire, we don’t know if Levi ever visited Reno,” said Lynn Downey, author of the book “Levi Strauss: The Man Who Gave Blue Jeans to the World.” “Once he and Jacob Davis began corresponding, I think they did everything by letter.” Downey is the featured author in the Nevada Historical Society’s monthly Writers’ Wednesday program on April 26 and she will at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City the following night, April 27, as the featured speaker in the Frances Humphrey Lecture Series.