"Silver Mining Boom Town Below I-90" a Wallace Travel Page by atufft

Idaho's Silver Valley is located along I-90 and the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River, between Lookout Pass and the Montana border. Wallace, population less than 1,000, was the wealthiest of the silver mining towns in Silver Valley, so it has the largest collection of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In fact, the entire town is listed as a Historic Landmark, which resulted in the construction of an unusual raised freeway system when I-90 was improved to modern standards. As a result, motorists can get off the freeway and spend easily from a couple of hours to a couple of days browsing the streets of peaceful Wallace. The town has not only an extraordinary historic downtown, but also a large collection of residences, some still in need of restoration, all within a beautiful mountain setting. The last time I drove through, the trees were in full autumn glory. In addition to the town, there are numerous ski resorts and mountaineering activities in the region. Mission Cataldo, which is about 10 miles west of Wallace on I-90, is also a great place to stop.