Silver Mountain City: Ghost of the Sierra

Silver Mountain City blazed into existence in 1862, hard on the heels of the nearby Comstock Lode. Rich silver ore was discovered high in the mountains, with tantalizing traces of gold. But the lodes didn't last. Today, it's a ghost of a ghost town, with not a stick of lumber left standing. But a century and a half hasn't erased Silver Mountain's colorful legacy.

This is the true story of Alpine County's first county seat, and the fascinating cast of characters who called it home. In these pages you'll meet lovely Antoinette Chalmers, bride of Alpine's wealthiest bachelor, whose life would end in tragedy just a few years later. There was Ernst Reusch, the jilted husband who shot his rival and wound up giving Hangman's Bridge its name. Read about the Forty Drops Saloon (and others), including Ryan's Exchange, the bar that did double-duty as the county's courthouse.

Packed with period photos and illustrations, this is the definitive history of this fascinating California silver mining ghost town.