SILVERHILL
A Good Place to Live

     "Welcome to Silverhill, A Good Place to Live" reads a sign which greets a person as they enter this small residential town located in the fertile farmland and region of Central Baldwin County.

     Before 1890 there was located on a hill east of the present site of Silverhill, a turpentine still which was doing a thriving business. The still was also the junction for a logging train running North and South through the County. It seems the Mr. Lowell, the owner always bought and sold for cash and all transactions were made in "silver money". "Pay Day" meant that everyone went "up the hill" to get his "silver". Hence, the Swedish town, originally to have been called "Svea" was instead named "Silverhill".

     In Chicago, Ill, in 1890 the Svea Land Company was organized for the purpose of establishing a Swedish Colony. After years of research it was decided that the Colony be located in Baldwin County because of its natural resources, adaptability of the soil, high altitude, and the climate conditions which make it beneficial to health.

C.O. Carlson, Carl A. Vallentin, and Oscar Johnson.

     During the economic depression following the Panic of 1892, Oscar Johnson, John Linden, C. Swanson, C. O. Carlson and J. O. Vallentin took advantage of the Illinois Central Railroad offer of free transportation as far south as Nashville, Tenn. Tickets were purchased there for Montgomery where they obtained maps and literature on good Alabama agricultural lands.

     The Svea Land group looked over lands in Mobile Co. before coming to Baldwin County where they were driven around by a man named Smith who had come to the county all the way from Ohio by horse and wagon. After another trip to thoroughly investigate lands in south Mobile County, the group returned to Baldwin County and purchased land at "Silver Hill". The Svea Land men then returned to Chicago to report to other interested parties, and to make preparations for colonizing the new land.

     Dr. E. C. Slosson, Oscar Johnson and John Linden remained to complete transactions, record deeds and obtain abstracts. Before they could leave for Chicago a treacherous epidemic of Yellow Fever broke out. Mobile, Pensacola and neighboring areas along the Gulf Coast were quarantined. The trio walked to Bay Minette where they found the train with all doors and windows tightly sealed. The trio returned to work on their houses until the quarantine was lifted and they could return to Chicago and get their families. The first family arrived in Silverhill before the end of the year 1896.

     The next few years many people from the North moved in, some to stay only over the winter months. Those who decided to stay, pitched in with a desire and determination to turn a forest wilderness into cultivated fields and comfortable homes. But most important, these hardy pioneers lived honestly, helped one another. and won for themselves good names, which have continued to live.

     In the Spring of 1907 a representative of Newhall and Son of Chicago, Ill. offered the farmers a proposition whereby his firm would supply seed, fertilizer and baskets for raising cucumbers, if the farmers would do all the work. When the bountiful crop of cukes was harvested, shipped and time for remuneration of their labors came, it was found that instead of being on the credit side of the ledger, the farmers were in debt to Newhall and Son. Complaint, sorrow and regret were rampant throughout the colony. But living up to the reputation and determination of their Nordic heritage, Silverhillians spat onto the palms of their hands, made an about face and planted "cukes" again along with Irish potatoes, under contract with a Pittsburgh, Pa. firm. Although their profits were small they did not go into debt on their second undertaking.

     With the establishment of a creamery, the first in Alabama, the farmers were heartened as the raising of dairy cattle now would produce some additional income.

     Living in Silverhill during this time was Dr. O. F. E. Winberg, a Veterinarian and Horticulturist. He had graduated from a School of Veterinarian Science in Germany before coming to Chicago and then to Silverhill. Dr. Winberg spent many hours teaching the dairymen how to treat, feed and breed their cows. Dr. Winberg was responsible for developing a sweet variety of the Kumquat and Satsuma. Many acres of satsumas were planted and cared for by Dr. Winberg over the years.

     Electricity was introduced into the colony by three men who built a gasoline-driven generator and supplied electricity to several homes and businesses in the center of town. As a demand for more electricity for more people was made, plans were drawn to build a Dam and Generating Plant on Fish River to the West of Town. Construction was begun but before the Dam was completed the Power Company sold its franchise to the Town of Foley.

     An enumeration of citizens in the Silverhill area was held in 1926, as part of a petition to incorporate the town. 288 names were listed on the enumeration document. An election was held with 36 votes cast for incorporation and 4 cast against incorporation. The Town of Silverhill was incorporated August 13, 1926. Eight mayors have served the town since that time.

     In October, 1933 the Town was reduced in size, as a result of a petition presented by a group of people living in the Southern section of town. A one-half mile square was taken out of the Town Limits.

     For many years the people of Silverhill worked together toward making the town and school a better place for their children. This was a period of comparatively little growth and few new Swedish families. The town was out of the stream of things as the railroad and main highway through the County ran east of the small town. The townspeople kept to themselves, determined to preserve the good name and reputation acquired over the years. With the construction of a Natural Gas and Water System in 1961, the town has again seen many new families of other nationalities move in and become a part of the community. Today Silverhill is a good example of the blending of a number of ethnic groups into loyal Silverhillians, Baldwin Countians, Alabamians and Americans.

     The Town of Silverhill has to offer to the public the following facilities: The Oscar Johnson Library, which is part of the State library system and is open on Thursday and Saturday afternoons with reading and story hours for the young group. The Oscar Johnson Park, where outings for the family, church, business and civic groups can be held and everyone can enjoy the outdoor activities. A pavilion and barbecue pit are available. There are two ball parks, tennis court and playground for the young people who like to take part in sports. We welcome you to Silverhill and hope that you may come back and make this your home.

     The Senior Citizens are very active in Silverhill and enjoy meeting at the town hail and plan activities and enjoy being and doing things with and for one another and the community. The Town of Silverhill is a progressive town and the governing body of the town makes every effort to keep the town and its citizens with the best and most efficient services to make Silverhill "A Good Place to Live".

     The town of Silverhill has many stories relative to its origin. In any case, at one time the Robertsdale Railroad Station was called the Silverhill Station. In the early part of this century, many of the farmers in this area successfully grew and shipped as a cash crop, satsumas. Checks and vouchers in the possession of some Silverhill archives show that train loads of this fruit were shipped out bringing payments of $300,000.00 to the co-operative members who grew this fruit. The Silverhill community was originally settled in large part by people of Norse or Teutonic origin. One distaff citizen of the area was, among other of her attributes, a registered horologist or clock maker. Somewhat later, another sturdy, colorful, able and talented people from Central Europe have further settled and added their talents to those of the Norse to this unique area.

     These people are primarily Bohemian and maintain many of their colorful, unique abilities and customs, King Wenceslaus, about whom we sing at Christmas, gave the world this delightful and pleasant term of so-called Bohemian light hearted culture and colorful life. His short reign brought a prosperity, freedom, and joy of life, which we all revered and remember, in a rather otherwise dark and oppressive era of history. The accompanying picture is labeled Hotel Norden and was probably taken around 1908 -1910 about the time that the first telephone company was established as a co-operative here in South Baldwin.