Historic Wallace Idaho

The historic mining town of Wallace (population 784) is nestled beneath Interstate 90, halfway between two ski and recreation areas in northern Idaho's beautiful Silver Valley. The town has long been famous as the "Silver Capital of the World" with 1.2 billion ounces of silver produced in Shoshone county since 1884. Silver mining is still a big part of our economy, but today it is carried out in total harmony with a pristine mountain environment that attracts outdoor recreation enthusiasts from around the world. Some folks come for the deep powder at the two ski areas, or the variety of bicycle trails, or the solitude of alpine lakes, but all agree, this is the place to play. And for us lucky ones, this is a great place to live.

Wallace is also known for the fact that every downtown building is on the National Register of Historic Places... which is why the government finally had to go over us instead of through us in order to complete the Interstate Highway system in 1991. Now the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes paved bike path is directly under Interstate 90 as it passes above Wallace, following the famous South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River through the narrow Silver Valley: the only place on earth where more than a billion ounces of silver were mined in 100 years.

• In 2002, the readers of the Boise Weekly voted Wallace to be the "Best City in Idaho."
   
  
• In 2003, Wallace was ranked 24 in a list of the top 30 places in the nation where prospective second-home purchasers could find the best value for their money.
   
  
• The Mayor joined with jubilant delegates to Silver Summit 2004 to proclaim Wallace as the Probalistic Center of the Universe. They were inspired by the new scientific principle adopted by the EPA: "If you can't prove something false, it must be true."
   
  
• The popular British TV personality and bestselling author Danny Wallace came to town in 2005 and wrote a book called Danny Wallace and the Centre of the Universe .
   
  
• Silver Summit 2006 included a renewed celebration of the Center of the Universe.
   
  
• The world famous Sunshine Silver Mine, in operation from 1884 to 2001, was refurbished by a Wallace mining company, and resumed shipping silver ore concentrate in 2007. Mining prosperity, four-season mountain recreation and a sense of humor were all found at the Center of the Universe.
   
  
• In April 2008, the New York Times compared the current mining and tourism industries in the Silver Valley with an emphasis on Wallace culture: In High Prices, Moribund Mines Find a Silver Bullet. Closing line: "Wallace is the damnedest town," he said. "Wallace never gave up the mining dream."
      New York Times Slideshow: A Mining Town Is Revived
   
  
• In October 2009, Budget Travel magazine and budgettravel.com featured Wallace, a place that mines its own history, as #5 in a list of America's Coolest Small Towns. "Every now and then, you stumble upon a town that's gotten everything right — great coffee, food with character, shop owners with purpose. These 10 spots have it all, in perfectly small doses."
   
  
• The American Planning Association presented Bank Street with their GREAT PLACES IN AMERICA: STREETS AWARD at our 2010 Wallace Octoberfest Celebration. The APA awarded Bank Street, Wallace, the honor of being a great place that "celebrates excellence in planning." The Association presented Bank Street as #3 in a list of TEN GREAT PLACES IN AMERICA: STREETS.
  The American Planning Association is an independent, not-for-profit educational organization that provides leadership in the development of vital communities by advocating excellence in community planning, promoting education and citizen empowerment, and providing the tools and support necessary to meet the challenges of growth and change. Their reason for choosing our street begins: "During the course of its 126-year history, Bank Street has brushed up against fate — and total ruin — three times. ..."      more details
   
  
• In 2011, the town responded to the census news that our population had decreased from 960 to 784 individuals by hosting TWO MORE FESTIVALS, bringing the total number of major events for the year to SEVEN!
  • Silver Spokes Bicycle Jam
    scheduled for July 6-7, 2012
     
    
  • National Accordion Festival
    scheduled for August 10-11, 2012

Popular visitor attractions, in addition to the many jewelry and antique shops, are the Sierra Silver Mine Tour, the Northern Pacific Depot Railroad Museum, the Wallace District Mining Museum, the Oasis Bordello Museum, and the Sixth Street Melodrama.

The Wallace Swimming Pool was built in 1939 as a WPA project. Full restoration was carried out by the community from 1999 to 2007 at a cost of $265,000. The pool is open during the summer from 11 AM to 5 PM, Monday thru Saturday, and from noon to 5 PM on Sundays. Kids 12 and under are 50¢; everyone else is $1. Lap swim: 5 to 6 PM, weekdays, 50¢. Night swim: 6 to 8 PM, $1.

During the summer of 1996, Wallace was the location of the spectacular volcano disaster movie Dante's Peak, starring Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton. Fourteen years after the mayor of Dante's Peak (Linda Hamilton) accepted an award for the "Second Best Small Town In America," we accepted an award from the American Planning Association for the "(Third) Best Street in America" at the same location: the intersection of Sixth and Bank Streets. ... A spot also regarded as the Center of the Universe .      more details

However, EVERY year our village of 784 hosts an amazing range of festivals and special events that help make this the most unique and fascinating small town in America!

For three days in July 2009, the 10^th Slippery Gulch celebration since 1920 was held in concert with an All-Class Reunion and the town's 125^th birthday party. The graceful Girls of Slippery Gulch and the hilarious Wallace Men's Culture Club made nine, five-act stage performances in the packed Civic Center.
For the holiday season, you can order the two hour, 15 minute DVD, Wallace Idaho's Slippery Gulch, 1920 - 2000, two different T-shirts and/or the Culture Club poster! So when you think "stocking stuffer" in the months ahead, remember your special times in Wallace, the most festive small town in America.

Twenty-two interactive photos from the 1910 Fire Commemoration and 2010 Huckleberry Festival, August 19 - 21, are presented on a new "Photos and Winners" page, along with key references about the Great 1910 Fire, and the complete list of winners from the annual 5K Huckleberry fun run.

 
 
Huckleberry Festival 2010
5K Race Results

With Silver Mountain and Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Areas a dozen Interstate miles away in each direction, the area around Wallace is a full-season mountain recreation paradise. Winter embraces alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling. Fishing, mountain biking and climbing, river rafting and kayaking, golf, hiking, backpacking, and motorized exploration on two or four wheels occupy outdoor recreation enthusiasts from spring to fall. Bow, rifle and muzzleloader hunting for deer and elk is naturally popular each fall. Black bears are hunted during the fall and spring, while mountain lions are fair game September through March.