Kit Carson andJohn C. Frémont were among the first explorers to bring nationwide attention to the Sierra Nevada region in theirwinter 1844 expedition, though the first known westerners to actually explore the area wereJedediah Smith andJoseph R. Walker. Though gold spurred the infrastructural development of Alpine County, theComstock Lode found nearVirginia City, Nevada and the subsequent silver boom was what triggered Alpine County's growth, even attractinggold miners from neighboring Nevada.[7] This prompted the formation on March 16, 1864, from parts ofAmador County,Calaveras County,El Dorado County,Mono County andTuolumne County.[1] It was named Alpine County due to its resemblance to theSwiss Alps.[8] At its formation, it had a population numbering around 11,000. By 1868, however, the local silver mines had proven unfruitful of replicating the Nevada silver boom and the population fell to about 685 in the1870 Census, a decline that would steadily continue through the 1950s.[9][10]Silver Mountain (established as Köngsberg)[11] was designated the county seat following the discovery of silver nearby by Norwegian miners.[12]Markleeville, established by Jacob Markley in 1861 as a 160-acre claim encompassing a bridge and toll station, became the new county seat in 1875.[1] The collapse of the silver industry and closing of mines was finalized with thedemonetization of silver in 1873, and Silver Mountain was abandoned by 1886, with most businesses moving to Markleeville.[7][12]
Following the devastating collapse of the silver industry, the population began quickly declining until the 1950s, falling to an all-time low of 241 in1930.[10] During this time, its small economy limited the county to serving primarily as a trading center for the local farming and lumber industries, as well as fishing and hunting during the 1930s. Several lots in the county were left vacant.[7]
Alpine County finally managed an economic rebound with the construction of theBear Valley andKirkwood ski resorts in the late 1960s, the latter of which is split withAmador County. The population shot up from 484 in1970 to 1,097 in1980, a 126.65% increase, and has remained around that level.[10] The threenational forests (Eldorado,Humboldt–Toiyabe andStanislaus) means 96% of the county is owned by the federal government,[13] providing opportunities for economic development and tourism to the skiing resorts as well as historical tourism and outdoor recreation.[14]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has an area of 743 square miles (1,920 km2), of which 738 square miles (1,910 km2) is land and 4.8 square miles (12 km2) (0.7%) is water.[15] The federal governmentowns about 96% of Alpine County, the highest percentage in California,[13] including threenational forests:Eldorado (54,318 acres, or 7.81% of the 695,098-acre total),Stanislaus (119,805 acres, or 13.32% of the 899,427 acre-total) andHumboldt–Toiyabe (233,962 acres, or 3.72% of the 6,290,945 acre-total).[16][17]
Alpine County's geology is characterized by granitic intrusions, volcanic activity, and glacial sculpting. A significant portion of Alpine County is underlain by granitic rocks of theSierra Nevada Batholith,[18] a vast composite of plutonic rocks formed during the Mesozoic Era, that extends along the Sierra Nevada mountain range.[19]
During theMiocene epoch, the region experienced extensive volcanic activity, leading to the deposition of andesitic lava flows, ash-flow tuffs, and volcanic breccias.[20] These volcanic deposits are particularly evident alongMonitor Pass andEbbetts Pass. ThePleistocene epoch brought significant glaciation to Alpine County, carving out characteristic alpine landforms such as U-shaped valleys, cirques, and moraines. These glacial features are prominent in areas like theMokelumne and Carson-Iceberg Wildernesses.[21]
Alpine County, California – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of thecensus[36] of 2000, there were 1,208 people, 483 households, and 295 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km2). There were 1,514 housing units at an average density of 2 units per square mile (0.77 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 73.7%White, 0.6%Black orAfrican American, 18.9%Native American, 0.3%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 1.4% fromother races, and 5.1% from two or more races. 7.8% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 12.1% were ofGerman, 12.1%Irish, 9.3%English, 6.5%American and 5.7%Italian ancestry. 95.0% spokeEnglish, 3.1%Spanish and 2.0%Washo as their first language.
There were 483 households, out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% weremarried couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 110.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 117.2 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,875, and the median income for a family was $50,250. Males had a median income of $36,544 versus $25,800 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $24,431. About 12.0% of families and 19.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 27.4% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
Throughout the 20th century, Alpine County was aRepublican stronghold inpresidential andcongressional elections. From 1892 until 2004, the onlyDemocrat to carry Alpine County in a presidential election wasFranklin Roosevelt in1932 and1936. In1964, Alpine was one of only five counties in the state to backBarry Goldwater. It was among the five most Republican counties in the entire nation in1892,[37]1908,[38]1920,[39] and1928.[40]Warren Harding andHerbert Hoover gained over ninety percent of the county's vote. However, Alpine has become more of a Democratic county in recent elections. It was carried byJohn Kerry in2004 and has stayed in the Democratic column since. No Republican has won a majority in the county since1988. In2024, Alpine County was the only county in California to swing to the left, givingKamala Harris a larger margin of victory thanJoe Biden in2020.
United States presidential election results for Alpine County, California
In November 2008, Alpine was one of just three counties in California's interior in which voters rejectedProposition 8, the ballot initiative to amend theCalifornia Constitution to reject the legal extension of the title of marriage to same-sex couples. Alpine voters rejected Proposition 8 by 56.4 percent to 43.6 percent. The only other inland counties in which Proposition 8 failed to receive a majority of votes wereYolo County and Alpine's neighborMono County.[41]
Due to its low population density, Alpine County votes entirely bymail, one of two counties in California which do so.[45] In the June 2014 primary elections, about 22% of registered voters statewide went to the polls; in Alpine County, the number was almost 70%, the highest of any county in the state.[46]
Gay activist Don Jackson seriously presented an idea for taking over Alpine County at a December 28, 1969, gay liberation conference in Berkeley, California. The project, which eventually became known asStonewall Nation, was subsequently surreptitiously used by fellow gay activistsMorris Kight andDon Kilhefner as an agitation and propaganda tool with no serious plans to bring the idea to fruition.[47] Once the political theater aspect of the project was exposed, planning for the Alpine County project came to a halt even among demoralized true believers.[48]
In the late 1970s, thePosse Comitatus organization attempted to take over Alpine County by settling there and fielding candidates in local elections.[49] The Posse thought winning local elections in Alpine County was their best opportunity to take control of a single county. The group fielded a candidate for sheriff and registered fictitious voters using post office boxes and vacant lots as their addresses. Six people were prosecuted for voter fraud, the false registrations were thrown out, and the incumbent sheriff was re-elected.[50]
Alpine County Airport is a general aviation airport in the Eastern Sierra about 4 miles (6.4 km) from the town ofMarkleeville. The airport consists of a simple airstrip with an apron for small light aircraft to park. The airport has no buildings, no lights, and is rarely used. The airport is popular with astronomers due to the clear, dark skies.[citation needed]
^abc"History of Alpine County".Alpine County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor's Center.Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. RetrievedJanuary 19, 2021.
^Durham, David L. (1998).California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, California: Word Dancer Press. p. 1202.ISBN1-884995-14-4.
^abMiller, Donald C. (1978).Ghost Towns of California. Boulder, Colorado: Pruett Publishing Company. p. 104.ISBN0871085178.
