Silver Mountain | |
Settlement Type: | Former settlement |
Pushpin Map: | California |
Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in California |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Type1: | State |
Subdivision Name1: | California |
Subdivision Type2: | County |
Subdivision Name2: | Alpine County |
Coordinates: | 38.6053°N -119.7694°W |
Elevation M: | 1954 |
Elevation Ft: | 6411 |
Silver Mountain (also, Kongsberg, Konigsberg,[1] Köngsberg and Silver Mountain City) is a former settlement in Alpine County, California. It was located on Silver Creek 5miles north-northeast of Ebbetts Pass, at an elevation of 6411 feet (1954 m).
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.
Silver Mountain was the first county seat of Alpine County, when the County was formed in 1864. The county seat was moved to Markleeville in 1875.