Wallace celebrates a history of defying death, destruction
Courtesy photo The Cemetery Comes to Life! Pictured are local residents who portrayed some notable folks that are buried in Nine Mile Cemetery. Pictured from the left and who they are portraying, Mike Feiler (Timothy Moriarty), Arnold Shelton (Herman J. Rossi), Sue Halley (Nancy Lee Hanson), Ernie McKay (Ed Pulaski), Anita Price (Elizabeth Ellis), Daccy Hayman (Mary White Gordon), Chuck Tatum (C. Val Nicholson), Norma Douglas (Lady of the Night Delores), Cindy Lien (Kathryn Ragsdale Gyde), Indy Behrendt (Nellie Stockbridge), Janet Feiler (black widow greeter), Bruce Flohr (Milton J. Flohr), a…
Courtesy photo BOOM! A cannon fires during the reenactment of a Civil War encampment.
Courtesy photo Bruce Flohr gives a tour of the Flohr House during Fall for History's home tour event.
If there is one thing Wallace knows it’s history, and I guess you could really say that they’ve fallen for it.
Last weekend Wallace hosted Fall for History 2017 and the second edition of the four day history festival really built off the foundation that was laid during the inaugural event.
The event kicked off on Thursday night at the City Limits Pub with a “Bottles & Brewers” presentation that gave listeners a history of booze in the City of Wallace.
“It was a wonderful presentation,” event co-chairwoman Janet Feiler said. “Tom Harmon did a great job and then we took a tour of the brewery which was wonderful as well.”
The weekend progressed from there with some fun events on Friday, including a terrific presentation from local historian Ron Roizen, who has done extensive research on the infamous Rossi Murder Trial that took place in Wallace during 1916.
Things rolled on from there as Saturday brought some fun events like a real life Civil War encampment, a cemetery was brought to life, and a presentation from local author, watercolor artist, and world renowned forensic artist Carrie Stuart Parks whose “If Bones Could Talk” presentation gave listeners a demonstration on the methods used by law enforcement to recreate facial features and identify remains.
A fun and historic dinner show wrapped up Saturday’s activities with Gary Eller, an Idaho music-historian.
Sunday brought about the most popular event of the weekend, the Wallace home and church tours.
“The home tours seem to be the most popular session of the weekend,” co-chairwoman Corki Mattila said. “People are so eager to get into these old houses and take a look around.”
Overall the event went very well, but without some local and state sponsorship it may not have been, something Feiler and Mattila were very thankful for.
“The event went extremely well and the weather cooperated for us too so that was nice,” Feiler said. “We really appreciate the support of the Frank A. Morbeck Foundation and Dave Smith Motors who gave us seed money for expenses and the Idaho Humanities Council helped sponsor our dinner show entertainment.”
Feiler and her committee are headed back to the drawing board now as they will prepare to continue to grow another festival in one of Shoshone County’s most historic cities.