<p>Interstate 90, which runs from Seattle to Boston, is elevated to bypass Wallace, Idaho. Harry F. Magnuson, a business leader and philanthropist, battled officials to block demolition of historic buildings to make way for the roadway by securing placement of the downtown area on the National Register of Historic Places.</p>

Named one of Americans coolest small towns by Budget Travel magazine in 2009, Wallace, Idaho offers outdoor activities, while boasting a rich history. Nestled in a narrow valley along the South Fork of the Coeur dAlene River, Wallace is located about 80 miles east of Spokane on Interstate 90. Its home to less than 800 residents.

Established in 1884, silver mining put Wallace on the map. According to the Historic Wallace Chamber of Commerce, by 1985 district mines had produced one billion ounces of silver. In addition, the Silver Valleys hard rock mines continue to produce gold, lead, copper and zinc.

When the price of silver dramatically fell in the 1980s, Shoshone Countys unemployment rate was 30 percent, according to a May 9, 1983 article in the Spokane Chronicle. Just a year earlier, a renewed focus in tourism saw the opening of the Sierra Silver Mine Tours in Wallace. The mine had been used as a laboratory to train Wallace High School students in the mining industry.

Retired mine workers share stories, take people underground and demonstrate equipment used in mining. The tour office also has extensive mining displays and a gift shop. In July and August, visitors can take the Ghost Town Trolley. The trip to nearby Burke features characters from the Sixth Street Melodrama sharing stories from a bygone era.

More information about the rich mining history can be found at the Wallace District Mining Museum and the Mining Heritage Exhibition. Also, seven miles west of Wallace is the Miners Memorial Statue. It was constructed two years after a May 1972 fire killed 91 men in the Sunshine Mine.

Ladies of the 80s

Another museum provides a glimpse into Wallaces steamier past the Oasis Bordello Museum. The upstairs Oasis rooms have been suspended in time when Madam Ginger and the working girls left hastily in January 1988 yes, thats 1988.

As the story goes, the police chief warned the madam that the FBI was coming to investigate and they should leave for a few days.

Days turned to weeks and months as it turns out the FBI stayed for two years investigating the police chief on racketeering. The brothel never resumed operation and the building was shuttered. It was purchased in 1993 by a local entrepreneur, who turned it into a museum.

Downtown deemed historic

While in town, visitors can take a self-guided walking tour of more than three dozen buildings with distinctive architecture. The entire downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It received the designation as a result of a dispute with state and federal highway officials. The Federal Highway Adminstration and the Idaho Transportation Department had plans to route the road right through the downtown district.

Harry F. Magnuson, a business leader and philanthropist, lead the battle from 1970 to 1986 to save the Northern Pacific Railway depot and dozens of downtown structures built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A compromise was eventually reached, which included moving the 1902 train depot to the other side of the river and the building of an elevated bypass saving the historic downtown.

Under the freeway viaduct is part of the Trail of the Coeur dAlenes. The paved trail offers more than 72 miles of pathway for non-motorized use.

Cyclists dream route

Nearby is the Route of the Hiawatha, which provides a 15-mile downhill bicycle ride along the old Milwaukee railroad. Called the crown jewel of Americas Rails to Trails, the path includes 10 tunnels and seven trestles. It begins in Montana, with riders pedaling through the 1.6-mile Taft Tunnel. There is a fee to ride the Hiawatha.

The most recent attraction added in Wallace is Silver Streak Zipline Tours. Opened in June, the tour features multiple zips, ranging from 325 feet to 1,800 feet thats six football fields. The grand finale on each course offers a dual racing zips.

Average temperatures in January include a high of 35 degrees and a low of 23; Julys average high is 80 and the low is 51. Wallaces yearly precipitation is 38.57 inches, with a high of 5.53 inches in November and a low of 1.19 in August.

A number of festivals are featured in Wallace during the summer months. They center around everything from bikes to blues and huckleberries to all-terrain vehicles. For more information, go to www.wallaceidahochamber.com.