Get ready to Fall for History
Photo courtesy of WALLACE DISTRICT MINING MUSEUM The World War I War Mothers put on a parade in Wallace. The War Mothers had a memorial erected at the Wallace Carnegie Library.
WALLACE — With the trees changing colors and the once heavy and hot air turning to a cool crisp, the time is right for the third annual Fall for History Festival in Wallace.
The event has become a staple of the fall season in Wallace, as many locals and visitors descend upon the area to soak up as much of the historic town’s history as they can before the weekend is over.
This year is themed around the idea of preservation, which bodes well for a city that has made its name on the concept itself.
The four-day event is jam-packed with activities — beginning on Thursday, Oct. 4, when members of the U.S. Forest Service and historians will discuss historic trails of Idaho and America at the Sixth Street Theater.
The next day will feature presentations and classes on everything from GPS historical site marking and poetry, to Ed Pulaski and the former Wallace hospital/turned park.
Renowned preservationist Shannon Sardell will also be on hand Friday to discuss the character defining features of historic buildings, as well as what elements of the buildings are the most important to preserve and protect.
The following morning, Sardell will be a part of a tour through Wallace as she points out the specific features that are worth preservation and attention.
With the centennial anniversary of the end of World War I just around the corner, Fall for History will have a rededication of the World War I monument outside the Wallace Carnegie Library on Saturday, Oct. 6.
“We have several exciting events, some of them free and some of them not, but we have something for everyone,” Fall for History coordinator Janet Feiler said. “We picked the theme of preservation this year and we have many things directly and indirectly related to that, but we also wanted to commemorate the end of World War I.”
The World War I presentation is sure to pique many people’s interest, as it blends early 1900s technology with an abundance of artifacts and the historical expertise of Mike Feiler.
Among the returning attractions are the popular guided home tours (including the Hansen Homes on Cedar Street that were built in mirror image of one another), the “Cemetery Comes to Life Show” (where volunteers portray notable deceased individuals buried in Nine Mile Cemetery), a back in time dinner show and many other unique museum tours.
Local historian Ron Roizen will also be present to deliver a presentation on the land rush that occurred in Wallace in 1889.
The Wallace Fall for History Festival begins on Thursday, Oct. 4, and runs through Sunday.
For more information, including a full schedule of the events, please contact the Wallace Chamber of Commerce at 208-753-7151.