The “state” namesake avenues in Santa Monica start at Montana and end at Colorado, which, confusingly enough, was originally named “Railroad.” Most of the street names, Idaho, Arizona, et cetera, have not changed. The exceptions seem to be Santa Monica Blvd (originally named Orgeon Avenue), Broadway (originally named Utah Avenue), and Wislhire Blvd. (originally named Nevada Avenue).
I have a hunch that Senator Jones named the street Nevada because the thoroughfare ran in front of his “Miramar” home on Ocean Avenue (Jones had made his fortune in and was a US senator representing Nevada).
QuantumTom 