Silver Mountain (also, Kongsberg, Konigsberg,[2]Köngsberg[3] and Silver Mountain City[3]) is a former settlement in Alpine County, California. It was located on Silver Creek 5 miles (8 km) north-northeast of Ebbetts Pass,[3] at an elevation of 6411 feet (1954 m).
Silver Mountain was founded in 1858 by Norwegian[4] miners who named the place Köngsberg or Konigsberg.[3] Within a year, the town had a population of around 3,000.[4] The Konigsberg post office opened in 1863, closed a while in 1864, was renamed Silver Mountain in 1865, and closed for good in 1883.[3] By 1886, the mines were no longer productive and the town was abandoned.[4]
Silver Mountain was the first county seat of Alpine County, when the County was formed in 1864.[5] The county seat was moved to Markleeville in 1875.[5]
^ abcdeDurham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 1202. ISBN1-884995-14-4.
^ abcMiller, Donald C. (1978). Ghost Towns of California. Boulder, Colorado: Pruett Publishing Company. p. 104. ISBN0871085178.
^ abDurham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 1141. ISBN1-884995-14-4.