A Town Called Wallace: Small Town, Big Heart, Wallace, Idaho

I’m going to tell you about a town called Wallace, in northern Idaho’s panhandle. It’s a curious tale - full of inspiration, grit, and tenacity. And how the Wallace of today still reflects those same qualities and more. Keep reading to see why it’s a town you’ll love, too.

Wallace was established in 1884, named for Colonel William Wallace, the first settler. When silver lodes were discovered at about the same time, a boom community sprang up around William’s cabin. Wallace became the principal city of “Silver Valley” - an area that has since produced over a billion ounces of silver. Plus a significant amount of lead, zinc, galena, and copper.

As the small town grew within its limited physical space (surrounded by mountains and the south fork of the Coeur D’Alene River), homes were built on the hillsides with a series of wooden stairs and raised boardwalks to access them.

Perhaps that sounds like a rather benign beginning - and a very successful story of fortune and progress. But you’d only be hearing part of the story if I stopped there.

in 1890, a fire broke out in town, burning down all the wooden buildings. So the town rebuilt - this time in brick. But in 1910, the “Big Burn” hit north Idaho and Montana, burning more than 3 million acres and one third of Wallace. And only three years later, in 1913, Wallace was damaged by the Great Flood, caused by heavy rains and a swollen river. Every time, Wallace rebuilt with what seemed like unlimited mining proceeds. Despite mine disputes, natural disasters, and the collapse of silver prices, the town held on with determination. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).