You won’t find Alma among Colorado’s ghost towns – it’s thriving as America’s highest incorporated town at 10,578 feet. Since 1873, this resilient mountain community has evolved from a bustling silver mining hub of 1,000 residents to a close-knit population of 300. While the 1893 silver crash ended its mining heyday, Alma’s rich history, including the legendary tale of Silver Heels and historic Buckskin Cemetery, continues to shape its unique mountain culture.
Key Takeaways
- Unlike many Colorado mining towns, Alma is not a ghost town but remains an active, incorporated municipality with 250-300 residents.
- Alma survived the 1893 Silver Crash that turned many neighboring mining communities into ghost towns.
- The town’s population drastically decreased from over 1,000 during the mining boom to around 300 today.
- Historic sites like Buckskin Cemetery preserve Alma’s mining heritage while serving an active mountain community.
- Alma maintains modern amenities and tourism infrastructure, including the South Park Saloon and recreational facilities.
The Highest Incorporated Town in America
At an elevation of 10,578 feet (3,225 meters), Alma, Colorado stands as the highest incorporated town in North America. You’ll find this remarkable community nestled in Park County, surrounded by towering “14ers” that pierce the Colorado sky.
Despite the elevation challenges, Alma’s got staying power – it’s been an incorporated municipality since December 2, 1873. The town’s mining boom led to a peak population of over 1,000 residents by 1873. The town experiences frigid temperatures with an average yearly temperature of just 32.4°F.
Unlike many high-altitude settlements that faded into obscurity, Alma’s maintained a steady population of around 300 residents. The community dynamics have evolved from its mining town origins to become a bedroom community supporting nearby ski resorts.
Within its compact 0.362 square miles, you’ll discover a thriving small-town atmosphere complete with local businesses, including America’s highest saloon. The town’s proven that sustainable mountain living isn’t just possible – it’s flourishing at unprecedented heights.
Mining Legacy and Silver Boom Days
While gold initially drew prospectors to Alma in the mid-1800s, the discovery of rich silver deposits in the late 1870s transformed this mining settlement into a significant silver producer.
The Park Pool Association spearheaded early silver discoveries, focusing on hard-rock mining operations on Mounts Lincoln and Bross. You’ll find that mining techniques evolved from simple placer methods to more sophisticated underground operations, with reverberatory furnaces processing the valuable ore.
Though Leadville’s massive silver boom in 1877 drew away many miners and investors, key mines like the Moose, Dolly Varden, and Russia kept Alma’s mining industry alive. The dangerous conditions inside these mines often required miners to use canaries to detect dangerous gas levels and low oxygen.
Despite the allure of Leadville’s riches, Alma’s resilient mines ensured the town’s silver industry continued to thrive.
The town maintained a stable population of about 500 during its peak years, but faced ongoing challenges with fuel scarcity and expensive ore transportation to distant smelters. The devastating Silver Crash of 1893 forced many local mines to close their operations, mirroring the economic catastrophe that swept through Colorado’s mining regions.
Tales of Silver Heels and Local Legends
Beyond the clatter of mining operations and the glint of silver ore, Alma’s most enduring story centers on a mysterious dance hall girl known as Silver Heels.
In 1861, she arrived by stagecoach wearing silver-heeled slippers and a veil, quickly becoming the miners’ favorite at Billy Buck’s saloon. The local cemetery saw increased burials between 1861-1862 as hardships took their toll.
When smallpox devastated the camp, Silver Heels stayed behind while others fled, nursing the sick until she contracted the disease herself. Miners later collected five thousand dollars to thank her for her brave service.
After the epidemic, miners gathered $5,000 to reward her courage, but she’d vanished without a trace.
Silver Heels’ legacy lives on through Mount Silverheels, named in her honor, and reported ghost sightings at the Buckskin Joe cemetery, where locals claim a veiled woman still tends to miners’ graves, continuing her selfless care beyond death.
Historic Sites and Cemetery Stories
The Buckskin Cemetery stands as a haunting memorial to Alma’s mining heritage, nestled 1.2 miles west of town off Park County Road 10.
You’ll find scattered graves marked by crude crosses, granite headstones, and iron-fenced plots that tell stories of the area’s frontier past. The pale stone markers dot the landscape like ghostly sentinels watching over the grounds. The cemetery’s most poignant tales emerge from the devastating smallpox epidemic of 1861, when death struck the mining camp with ruthless speed. The President Roosevelt dedication established the cemetery’s official status before 1902.
Today, cemetery preservation efforts led by local historians keep these stories alive. The Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative sponsors tours where you’ll discover the graves of miners, veterans, and pioneer families.
Ghost stories persist, including sightings of a veiled woman believed to be Silverheels visiting the graves – adding to the mystique of this historic site that’s still used for burials by Alma’s residents.
Modern Mountain Life at 10,578 Feet
Living at North America’s highest incorporated elevation presents unique challenges and rewards for Alma’s 250-300 residents.
You’ll find them nestled in a narrow valley where Buckskin Creek meets the Middle Fork of the South Platte River, surrounded by five towering fourteeners. While winters bring dramatic weather patterns and occasional isolation, locals embrace their close-knit mountain lifestyle. The 57-mile detour route becomes a necessity when winter closes the direct path to Leadville.
You won’t find big-box stores here – the town stretches just over a mile with minimal commercial services. Instead, you’ll discover a community focused on mountain recreation, from hiking fourteeners to exploring ATV trails in the Mosquito Range. Many visitors come to conquer Mt. Sherman at 14,035′ on their quest to climb Colorado’s highest peaks.
The South Park Saloon serves as America’s highest watering hole, while community events help preserve the town’s unique culture. When supplies run low, residents make the journey to Fairplay or Salida for additional amenities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Was the Average Temperature in Alma During the Mining Boom Years?
You’ll find that during the mining boom, average climate ranged from 10-25°F in winters to 50-65°F in summers, with seasonal variations creating an annual average around 35°F.
How Did Early Settlers Handle Medical Emergencies at Such High Elevation?
If you’d broken your leg mining, you’d rely on neighbors with basic first aid knowledge and home remedies. Without hospitals nearby, you’d use makeshift medical supplies and hope you’d survive until help arrived.
What Indigenous Peoples Inhabited the Alma Region Before Mining Began?
You’ll find the Ute people, known as Nuche, were the primary indigenous tribes inhabiting this region for over 8,000 years, practicing seasonal migration, hunting, and gathering as their cultural practices.
How Did Families Educate Their Children in Early Alma?
In one-room schoolhouses serving multiple grades, you’d find children learning through both formal education at Alma School and homeschooling methods, with community involvement supporting basic reading, writing, and arithmetic lessons.
What Traditional Foods and Recipes Were Popular Among Alma’s Mining Community?
You’d find traditional recipes like Cornish pasties, pemmican, and roasted wild game in mining meals. You could enjoy chokecherries, ground plum, and Rocky Mountain trout caught fresh daily.
References
- https://www.legendsofamerica.com/co-buckskinjoe/
- https://coloradosghosttowns.com/Alma CO.html
- https://www.roamingourway.com/colorado-road-trip-buckskin-joe/
- https://www.fourteenernet.com/history/history-of-alma
- https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/co/alma.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDCQo1_vsfo
- https://www.coloradopast.com/index.php?category=ghosttowns&subcategory=central&selection=Alma
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma
- https://www.islands.com/1695540/north-america-highest-incorporated-town-alma-colorado-western-destination-best-outdoor-lovers/
- https://www.parkcountyco.gov/276/Community-Profiles
