Nesmith Point gained the name Mount Nesmith in 1915, bestowed by the Oregon Geographic Board working with the Oregon Historical Society and the Mazamas, a local Portland climbing group. James Nesmith was a tough specimen, an important political figure from the early days of Oregon as both a territory and state.  He served as one of Oregon’s senators during the Civil War.  But Nesmith was never a climber spending most of his time in Oregon on his farm and grist mill near Rickreall, a few miles to the west of Salem where his grave also sits.