Alpine County Points of Interest
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5 November 2012
(Click Photos to Zoom)
State Route 4
Toiyabe National Forest
The plaque reads:
Silver Mountain
Settled by Scandinavian miners in 1858, - then called Kongsberg. Renamed Silver Mountain in 1863 and made county seat of Alpine County Aug. 11th, 1864. During the Sixties, the town supported a post-office, two newspapers, express office, telegraph office and several hotels.
Population was at its peak in 1864.
County seat moved to Markleeville Nov. 1st, 1875.
Dedicated to the venturesome spirit, courage and perseverance of California pioneers Sept. 13, 1958 by the Society of E Clampus Vitus - Snowshoe Thompson Chapter officiating.
Silver Mountain (also, Kongsberg, Konigsberg, Köngsberg and Silver Mountain City) was located on Silver Creek five miles from Ebbetts Pass at an elevation of 6411 feet.
Silver Mountain was founded in 1858 by Norwegian miners who named the place Köngsberg or Konigsberg. Within a year, the town had a population of around 3,000. The Konigsberg post office opened in 1863, closed a while in 1864, was renamed Silver Mountain in 1865, and closed for good in 1883. By 1886, the mines were no longer productive and the town was abandoned.
When Alpine County was formed in 1864 (from land donated by Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mono and Tuolumne Counties), Silver Mountain was the county seat.
Source: Wikipedia