This Tiny Mountain Town Declared Itself the Center of the Universe and Installed a Manhole Cover to Prove It

Welcome to Wallace, Idaho

Wallace is what happens when a small mining town decides to go independent. The historic district remains preserved from the silver mining boom days.

But this isn’t some tired tourist trap.

This town of 800 still has its old-school bars plus a streak of stubbornness that once made the federal government reroute an interstate around it.

Here’s more.

The Town That Stopped an Interstate

The city leaders did aplenty when they found out I-90 would plow through town. The fight lasted years and even got the press involved.

Local rich man Harry F. Magnuson, who owned half the town, sued the feds for not doing an eco check. The case under Scot Reed lasted 17 years and made it to the top courts.

The street that once had the last light is now “The Harry F. Magnuson Way.”

Last Stoplight On Coast-to-Coast I-90

Signs in town proudly shouted this fact to all who passed through.

They used the fame to draw in folks who wanted to see this rare sight. Town shops sold tons of “Last Stoplight” gifts to cash in on the claim.

Most folks who drop by don’t know that the light was part of the 17-year fight with the federal government. When they built the bypass, the light was kept in town.

Thus, I-90 now runs high in the sky and skips town.

Entire Downtown is a Historic District

Even after the Great Fire of 1890, the town still stands, thanks to the cast iron, stone, and steel infrastructure coming from local foundries in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene.

Wallace Elks Lodge, a two-story building featuring brick and cast stone veneer, sits over a steel framework. The railroad station from 1902 hosts a corner turret constructed from brick imported from China.

Even the townhomes show off the class of the rich mine chiefs from back then. Fast forward, now film crews love to shoot here for that old west style.

Silver Capital of the World

Wallace has been the world’s top silver town for more than 100 years now, pulling out 1.2 billion ounces since 1884.

The mines are still at work and the wealth from these mines built the grand homes you see in town. In one year, they dug up close to five million ounces of the bright ore.

When you visit, you can take home a chunk of real silver from the local shops. The peak of the mine boom was when more than 60 mines worked at once.

Buffalo Soldiers Were Sent to Quell Miners

The mine wars blew up in 1892 when the mine chiefs tried to cut costs. In one case, a mob blew up a mill in their rage.

As a result, the US sent black troops from Fort Wright to keep the peace. The use of black troops to break up white miners was a bold move back then.

Folks still talk of how this choice shook up the old ways of the West. Some still claim to see the ghosts of these brave men on guard in town.

Survived the Largest Forest Fire

In 1910, the Big Burn swept through, torched three million acres of land, and killed more than 80 folks in the area.

Right after, fire marshal Ed Stahl told how the flames ‘flattened out ahead, swooping to earth in great curves,’ adding that folks fled for miles to get clear of the hot waves.

Fire crews fought for days to save what they could (about two-thirds).

Pulitzer Prize-Winning History

The 1910 fire that hit Wallace is told in Timothy Egan’s award-winning book The Big Burn, in which he shares the story of Big Ed Pulaski.

Pulaski led his men to an old mine shaft, made them lie low for cooler air, and used wet cloths to block smoke at the entrance.

Thanks to him, 40 of 45 survived the night.

Big Ed was left with burns to his arms and face. He was blind for a time but lived. Crews still use the Pulaski tool to fight fires today.

A trail now leads to the old mine, where the fire burned so hot it seared the rock face.

Wallace Had Its Own Drinking Water Crisis

The town had to deal with tainted water for some time. The fire had sent ash and soot into the wells and streams, so folks had to boil their drinking water.

Some claim it made the beer taste bad for years to come. To be safe, the town had to add new pipes and pumps. The EPA came back in the 1980s to test water in these parts.

Even today, the streams here run with a slight tinge from mine dirt.

The Bordello Museum Tells Many Tales

The Oasis Bordello Museum preserves a cathouse from 1988. Guides will tell you about a ‘madam’ known as Ginger, who didn’t hire girls from the town to keep peace.

The house rules were strict, with the girls on shift from 2 PM to 6 AM. One girl named Casey stayed on the job at the Oasis for ten years.

When the FBI raided, they fled the scene. Today, you can take tours costing $12 per person by the hour to check the rooms and the stuff they left behind.

Weirdest Little Shop in the Northwest

The North Idaho Trading Co. has a six-foot mummified mermaid and more than 150 stuffed beasts. Folks stop by to gawk at the odd things on show.

Kids love to check out the old skulls on the walls while women splurge on their antiques, though you can buy guns and ammo, too.

It looks like it came out of a wild dream or an old west film set. The shop has its own ghost, so folks say. Just don’t touch the mermaid; it’s not for sale.

It’s a Trail-Rider’s Paradise

Boasting more than 1,000 miles of old mine and log roads, you’ll find two great paths, the Route of the Hiawatha and the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, out here.

The paths are well-kept with stops for snacks and rest.

Rent a bike and run through old train paths with dark, cool trips through long tunnels. The old rail beds give a smooth ride with slight grades.

In the cold months, the trails host some of the best snow sports. Maps for the trails can be found at shops all through town.

Before Visiting Wallace in 2025

Location: North Idaho’s Silver Valley, just off I-90, cradled by the Bitterroot Mountains

Famous Trails:

• Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes (walking path on old train tracks)
• Route of the Hiawatha (world-famed bike trail with dark tunnels)
• Pulaski Tunnel Trail (2-mile path to the mine where Big Ed saved his men)

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