Colonel William Wallace purchased an 80 acre tract of land back in 1884 along the south fork of the Coeur d’Alene River. Over the next few years, several major silver deposits were discovered in the surrounding hills and a town grew up around Wallace’s cabin. By 1887, the railroad had made its way into Wallace and the town would grow even bigger. A fire in 1890 would burn much of the town and wooden buildings were rebuilt in brick. Despite this, Wallace would burn again in 1910 in what would come to be known as the “Big Burn”, one of the largest forest fires in American history. Wallace rebuilt again and the silver in the hills kept the town alive. The mines would thrive until after World War II and then slowly began to close. Today, Wallace’s population hovers around 800, with tourism being the town’s major industry. Wallace is the only town which is included, in its entirety, on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s a wonderful place to wander through with lots of old buildings, bars, hotels and restaurants. The historic Oasis Bordello Museum tells the story of Wallace’s storied red light district which lasted into the 1990s. Besides the history of the town, the area surrounding it is full of hiking and biking trails, ski slopes and a plethora of other outdoor activities. I first came to Wallace over 20 years ago and every time I return it makes me smile. It’s just a lovely little town, well preserved and open for business. I hope you enjoy these photos from fabulous Wallace, Idaho - small town perfection in Idaho’s Silver Valley.
