Wallace, ID, The Center of the Universe

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Our last stop in Idaho is Wallace which proclaims itself as the Center of the Universe.  The Center, you say?  Yes.   Per an article on the internet,  “Wallace, Idaho is one of a handful of town in Idaho’s Silver Valley region, famous for not only its silver mining but also for other chemicals and compounds that no one has been able to satisfactorily prove to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are harmless. Since the EPA has said that if things can’t be satisfactorily disproved then they must be, in fact, proved, Wallace has declared itself the Center of the Universe. It’s never been disproved that it’s not the center, so therefore . . . it is.”  If you are curious to learn more about this interesting piece of information, go on the internet and look it up Center of the Universe, Wallace, Idaho.

 In addition to being at the center of the universe, Wallace is also a historic town where all the downtown buildings are on the National Historic Register.  Unusual since in most cases it is only a few selected places.  In 1970 when the federal and state highway departments were getting ready to complete I-90 through this area, they wanted to completely demolish the town.  The city fought back by delaying action in court and then quietly getting the whole downtown district on the National Register of Historic Places.  Sneaky!  By 1986 the town had won and the highway was built around and above the city. 

I-90 passing above the city

Wallace began with the purchase of 80 acres of largely cedar forest and swampland. As gold mining petered out, silver was discovered and a boom began.  By 1900 and throughout the 20th century Wallace became the hub of one of the world’s largest mining districts and merited a visit from campaigning President Teddy Roosevelt in 1903.  He gave a speech from the back of a train car at the station. 

Our first stop in downtown is at the Northern Pacific Railroad Depot Museum which was relocated 200 feet across the Coeur d’Alene River when they were building I-90.  This old building is built in chateau style and the inside has been recreated like an early working railroad depot with a ladies waiting room.  This room gave the ladies of the day a place to wait away from some of the scruffy miners who might be awaiting a train.  There is a restored station masters office with an old working phone (see picture) which to the surprise of visitors you are expected to answer and tell the person at the other end when the next train arrives.  Cute. 

The last train to come through here was in July 1992. 

The Women's Waiting Room

Bathroom on the second floor
Note the water tank high on the wall

Station Masters Office

Note the telephone mentioned above

Luggage awaiting the train

Old Dresden Dish Pattern Quilt hanging on the wall

Walking further into downtown, we are struck by all the old buildings, many with names and dates on them as was the custom at the time.  There is an old Masonic Temple, Elks and Eagles Lodges, old banks, an insurance building, lots of hotels and bars, post office, County Court House and yes a couple of brothels.  There were very few vacant store fronts.  A nice brochure explains each of the buildings and gives you some insight into the town of the early 1900’s.

Old Masonic Temple

Two corner buildings with turrets.

Bordello Sign

Oasis Bordello

Elks Lodge

 I have a rather unique encounter with one store owner.  The building was shown as having been an old J.C. Penney store and now was perhaps an antique store though I really never found out what was for sale.  As I walked in the door, I encountered a grumpy old man lounging in an old time barber chair who inquired, “Are you just looking for some place to kill time or are you going to buy something?”  to which I said, I would be happy to vacate the premises and he waved me goodbye.   He’ll never know if I would have found something I could not live without. 

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Our drive around town today shows us many, many old houses some beautifully restored and some in need of attention.  There are many Queen Anne bungalows and other historical and architectural styles in evidence.  We are drawn to the extensive stair system which allowed people years ago and even today to get from one residential street to the next on the steep hills.  Most of the stairways are 100 feet long and have 76 to 84 steps.  Whew!  What a climb.

Looking up

Looking down

 We drive one of the steep, narrow streets which is a two way street with cars parked close to the hill below the houses and only enough room for a car to pass beyond the parked car.  Seems like it should be a one way street.    Fortunately, we do not encounter a car coming the other direction.  Most of these homes had long stairways up to their homes as well.  I would hate to have to carry groceries up those stairs.

Interesting mural on the side of a building.

Tonight we are attending a melodrama, “The Diligent Daughter or Lips That Touch Wine” at the Sixth Street Theater which is housed in the old Kelly Building (1891) which in past years was part of the Lux Rooms Bordello and the only wood building remaining in downtown that wasn’t destroyed by the 1890 fire.   

The play was a hoot with local high school students making up the cast of six.  After the play they put on a revue consisting of "bad" jokes and songs and dances, etc.  Really cute.  Glad we attended.  

Signing off until we get to Missoula.