by Denise Seith

Created on: March 19, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Wallace, Idaho, known officially as the Silver Capital of the World, is just one of 14 historic towns tucked into Idaho's Silver Valley. The area got its name because the silver deposits first found here in the early 1880s were some of the richest ever discovered. The Valley's Coeur d'Alene Mining District continues to be one of the largest silver mining regions in the world, producing more than a billion ounces over the past century. One of the best ways to learn about mining first-hand and have fun at the same time, is by touring the Sierra Silver Mine.

"If it's not grown on top, it's got to be mined from underneath," Lenny the mine guide stated matter-of-factly as he led our hard hat-wearing group into his dim, damp subterranean world. "You can't manufacture everyday products without silver, gold, copper, lead, zinc and other minerals." Lenny's right.

Nicknamed "Smurf" because of his short stature, the retired hard-rock-miner-turned-tour-guide entertained and educated us for about an hour as we toured the fascinating mine and learned its history. Surprisingly, the tools of the trade haven't changed much over the last 100 years. Long pneumatic drills are still used to bore holes into rock, and the holes are then filled with explosives. Although the noise during the drill demonstration was deafening, it lasted for just a few seconds, and helped everyone better understand working conditions endured by hard rock miners.

Wallace is home not only to the Sierra Silver Mine, but also many other attractions that preserve the area's 120-year mining history. The Oasis Bordello Museum, Northern Pacific Depot Railroad Museum, and the Wallace District Mining Museum are just a few. The entire town of Wallace is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and although the plank sidewalks are long gone, restored Queen Anne bungalow style homes and quaint commercial architecture give a good glimpse into yesteryear.

Like most towns in the Silver Valley, Wallace had a modest beginning. In 1883, Colonel Wallace (not really a colonel) purchased 80 acres and staked a claim. His wife, Lucy, became the first postmistress for a population of just 14. By 1887, mining claims covered most of the district and downtown businesses were well established, so much so that the first narrow gauge railroad arrived to serve a town that had grown to 500 residents.

Wallace can claim some Hollywood fame, too. Actress Lana Turner was born here but moved to California where she later became a movie star. In 1979, the western "Heaven's Gate" was filmed in downtown, and "Dante's Peak" starring Linda Hamilton and Pierce Brosnan, was shot during the summer of 1996.

Over 120 years of mining in Idaho's Silver Valley has created a unique and colorful culture. Whether it was silver, gold, zinc, or galena that first attracted prospectors and miners, today it's fun to turn back the clock to the early days of Idaho's mining heritage and learn how bustling cities were reduced to ghost towns, and in many cases brought back to life again. And where else are you likely to meet a "Smurf" in a hard hat wielding a pneumatic drill?!

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Historic Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce
10 Station Avenue Kellogg, Idaho 83837
phone: 208-784-0821
www.silvervalleychamber.com

Sierra Silver Mine Tour, Inc.
420 5th St.
Wallace, ID 83873
phone: 208-752-5151
www.silverminetour.org

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