Seniors Discover Silver Capital of the World

Wallace, Idaho earned an award as one of America’s Greatest Mainstreets by Travel and Leisure, and soon senior readers will know why. Wallace is an historic city in the panhandle region of Idaho in what is called the Silver Valley mining district.

Back in 1890, Shoshone County was the most populated county in the new state of Idaho, and Wallace was its largest city with 2000 residents. Wallace,  brimming with mining history, sits alongside the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River in an area that has produced more silver than any other mining district in the entire nation.

The locals enjoy calling Wallace “The Center of the Universe.” In 2004, His Honor, Mayor Ron Garitone made a  proclamation that “Wallace MUST be the Center of the Universe because you can’t PROVE otherwise.” That statement has been celebrated ever since.

In 2006, the commemoration included the crowning of the Princess of the Center of the Universe. That’s even better than Miss America…don’t you think. Seniors may want visit Wallace just for the Annual Blues Festival, always a major event.

 National Historic Register Town

Danger, intrigue, passion, great wealth, heroics and comedy are set against the breathtaking backdrop of northern Idaho’s Bitterroot mountains.  Those are the elements of the 12 decade story of Wallace. The entire town of Wallace is on the National Historic Register.

A nasty thing happened back in 1910 when the largest forest fire in U.S. history, The Big Burn as it was called, swept through the Wallace area destroying much of downtown. Wallace bounced back. Movie actress Lana Turner grew up in this rough and tumble town before being “discovered” in Hollywood. Wallace has been a movie prop town as well for “Tornado”, “Heaven’s Gate”, and “Dante’s Peak”.

By 1886, Wallace was a mining boomtown, with thousands of prospectors scouring the nearby creeks and hillsides in search of gold, silver, lead, copper and zinc. During World War II, up to 40 mines dotted the 40-mile-long Silver Valley. Today, only the Galena remains in operation. Rich veins still dot the area.

The highly popular Fainting Goat Wine Bar & Eatery sits in the heart of beautiful Historic Wallace. Take your pick on several local tours. You may want to take in the Wallace Mining Museum that captures the flavor of mining in northern Idaho, from the days of the early gold rush to contemporary silver production.

The Sierra Silver Mine tour is taken with an experienced miner as your guide as senior visitors walk through the main drift of an actual underground silver mine. Maybe top off your stroll through town with a visit to the Oasis Bordello Museum, a highly unusual museum that is reminiscent of a once popular bordello during old mining days. Then, if you are up for a Zipline Tour, try the highly popular Silver Streak. Senior travelers, see you in the “Center of the Universe”, Wallace, Idaho. jeb