Governor Emmet Derby Boyle (1879-1926), the first native-born governor of Nevada, serving from 1915-1923. He is honored with Nevada State Historic Marker number 265.
Boyle was born on July 26, 1879, in Gold Hill, Nevada. After graduating the University of Nevada in 1889 he worked as a mining engineer. Emmet Boyle is elected to the governors office at the young age of thirty-five. As such, he is the youngest elected to the office, the first elected born in Nevada, and the first graduate from the University of Nevada. As governor and a strong supporter of women’s rights, Boyle called the Nevada Legislature into special session in 1920 to ratify the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution granting women the right to vote.
Nevada State Historic Marker 265 Text
Eight grave sites to the north rests Emmet Derby Boyle (1879-1926), the first native-born governor of Nevada, serving from 1915-1923. Born in Goldhill, Boyle was also the first graduate of the University of Nevada to become governor. At thirty-five, he was the youngest person to hold the state’s highest office.
Governor Emmet Boyle worked on Nevada’s water laws and introduced the state’s first executive budget. A strong supporter of women’s rights, Boyle called the Nevada Legislature into special session in 1920 to ratify the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution granting women the right to vote.
Emmet Boyle died on January 3, 1926 and is buried next to his wife Vida McClure Boyle who he married in 1903.
NEVADA STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No. 265
NEVADA STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE
CHRIS DRIGGS, NEVADA STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES
TOM SWART, HISTORY ADVOCATE
RENO LODGE, NO. 13 F. & A.M.
Nevada State Historic Marker 265 Map
Nevada State Historic Marker 265 Summary
| Name | Governor Emmet Derby Boyle |
| Location | Washoe County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 39.5253, -119.8449 |
| Nevada State Historic Marker | 265 |
Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. These roadside markers bring attention to the places, people, and events that make up Nevada’s heritage. They are as diverse as the counties they are located within and range from the typical mining boom and bust town to the largest and most accessible petroglyph sites in Northern Nevada Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost or damaged.