Markleeville is a census-designated place and the county seat of Alpine County, California. Markleeville traces its beginnings to the land claim of Jacob Marklee who established a toll bridge across a tributary of the Carson River in 1861 during the height of the silver mining boom at nearby Silver Mountain City. He recorded his land claim of 160 acres on June 23, 1862, in Douglas County, Nevada, but after the boundary survey his claim was in California. During the rush to the Comstock Lode, the town of Markleeville was built upon Marklee's land. Marklee hoped to prosper from the freight and supplies headed to the mining camps, but was instead killed in a gunfight in 1863, his killer going free on a plea of self defense. When the mines shut down, Markleeville assumed the county seat and remains the center of government services for Alpine County — the Alpine County Courthouse now occupies the site of Marklee's cabin, which is California Historical Landmark #240.