William Elias Abbott

Historical marker location:

2 E. Mesquite Boulevard, Mesquite, Nevada

( Marker is on Mesquite Boulevard, on the right when traveling east.)

Marker installed: 2003

October 16, 1869 February 19, 1949.

Nevada was once part of Mexico: Before it became part of the United States, Nevada was part of Mexico's Alta California territory. In fact, the state's name comes from the Spanish word for "snow-covered," a reference to the Sierra Nevada mountain range.