Historic Wallace Chamber History 2

Historic Wallace
Chamber of Commerce
History of the Region

UPDATED
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 03:48 PM

WALLACE, SILVER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

Colonel Wallace (not really colonel) purchase 80 acres of land than became the site of the present city of Wallace. This land was covered with large cedar trees and was a swampy. he built a cabin in 1884 and called the new community Placer Center. His wife, Lucy, arrived in 1883 and became the first postmistress for a population of 14 people. The post office was renamed Wallace. In the year of 1887, Colonel Wallace reported catching 247 trout in one day's fishing o Placer Creek.

During 1883, Colonel Wallace staked the Oreornogo claim, later to become the HECLA. Bye 1886, mining claims covered most of the great mines of the district. The Bunker Hill mine was staked in 1885. By 1887, downtown businesses were well established including the first saloon. In 1886, the first school opened with 15 children form a population of 500 hardy souls. The first narrow gauge railroad arrived in 1887.

By 1891, Wallace had plank sidewalks trod by immigrant miners from all over the world. With prosperity came shoot-outs and banditry. In 1890, a flue in the Central hotel began a fire that destroyed the entire business district of wood buildings. New brick buildings, most still standing were begun immediately. The entire east side of town burned down during the 1910-forest fire.

In 1892 and again in 1899, labor wars began between the fledgling union and the companies. U.S. Army troops were stationed here for several years. Over 1200 miners imprisoned in a make shift prison termed the "bullpen."

President Teddy Roosevelt arrived in Wallace in 1903 and gave a speech from the railroad station. The town spent an enormous amount of $5,000 for flags and bunting that flew during a rainstorm.

Movie acres Lana Turner was born in Wallace. Her father had a dry cleaning shop before working in the mines. Later, Lana moved to California where she was "discovered" Movies have been filmed in Wallace, which include "Tornado" (silent), "Heaven's Gate," and "Dante's Peak."

After 1900, Wallace became the hub of one of the world's richest mining districts. By 1985, the district had produced one billion ounces of silver. Miners still mine the mountains for silver, lead and zinc ores.