Wallace, Idaho

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Wallace, Idaho
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Wallace, Idaho


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Idaho
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Shoshone
government_footnotes =
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leader_title =
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area_footnotes =
unit_pref = Imperial
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 2.3
area_land_km2 = 2.3
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 0.9
area_land_sq_mi = 0.9
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 960
population_density_km2 = 426.4
population_density_sq_mi = 1104.4

timezone = Pacific (PST)
utc_offset = -8
timezone_DST = PDT
utc_offset_DST = -7
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 832
elevation_ft = 2730
latd = 47 |latm = 28 |lats = 23 |latNS = N
longd = 115 |longm = 55 |longs = 30 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 83873-83874
area_code = 208
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 16-84790
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0392796
website =
footnotes =

Wallace is a historic city in the Panhandle region of the U.S. state of Idaho and the county seat of Shoshone CountyGR|6 in the Silver Valley mining district. Wallace sits alongside the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River (and Interstate 90) and the town's population was 960 at the 2000 census. Wallace is the principal town of the Coeur d'Alene silver-mining district, which produced more silver than any other mining district in the United States. Burke-Canyon Road runs through historic mining communities — many of them now deserted — north and eastward toward the Montana border. The area periodically experienced open warfare between miners and mine owners. With silver prices reaching new highs, Wallace and the surrounding Silver Valley area are booming. East of Wallace, the "Route of the Hiawatha" (rails-to-trails) and the Lookout Pass ski area are popular with locals and tourists.

In 1890, Shoshone County was the most populated county in the new state of Idaho, and Wallace was its largest city and the third largest in the state, with 2000 residents. The elevation is 2728 feet (831 m) above sea level.

Geography

Wallace is located at coor dms|47|28|23|N|115|55|30|W|city (47.472923, -115.924935)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 960 people, 427 households, and 237 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,104.4 people per square mile (426.0/km²). There were 587 housing units at an average density of 675.3/sq mi (260.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.90% White, 2.50% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.62% from other races, and 1.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.

There were 427 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.3% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $22,065, and the median income for a family was $33,472. Males had a median income of $25,288 versus $16,429 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,699. About 12.8% of families and 20.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

Center of the Universe

On September 25, 2004, Mayor Ron Garitone proclaimed Wallace to be the center of the Universe. Specifically, a sewer access cover was declared to be the precise location of the center of the Universe. A specially made manhole cover was made to mark the spot. It bears the words "Center of the Universe. Wallace, Idaho." This prompted British comedian and writer Danny Wallace to visit Wallace. He wrote about his visit in the book "Danny Wallace and the Centre of the Universe", published in 2006.

Trivia

* The 1997 film "Dante's Peak" was filmed in and around Wallace during the summer of 1996, with the large hill next to town digitally altered to look like a volcano. One scene shows Pierce Brosnan driving a pickup down Main Street to escape the volcanic eruption. You can also see a sign that says Wallace in one of the scenes with the community standing around for the celebration. Many scenes take place in the historic downtown area, visible from the nearby Interstate 90. The 1980 epic "Heaven's Gate" also filmed several scenes in Wallace.
* The last traffic light on a coast-to-coast Interstate highway to be removed was on a stretch of I-90 in Wallace, on September 15, 1991.
* "Every" building in downtown Wallace is on the National Register of Historic Places. This effort, undertaken in the 1970's, was intended to protect large portions of the town from being leveled to make way for construction of I-90.
* The fire-fighting tool called a Pulaski is widely credited to a forest ranger from Wallace, Ed Pulaski.
* Actress Lana Turner was born in Wallace, as was politician Bill Thomas and Oregon State football coach Mike Riley.

References

External links

* [http://hometown.aol.com/Gibson0817/wallace.htm History of Wallace Idaho]
* [http://www.tourofidaho.com Wallace is on the Tour of Idaho]