New historic sign commemorates Buffalo Soldiers

WALLACE – While the history of the Buffalo Soldiers in the Silver Valley has been well documented, thanks in large part to local historians and tenacious Chamber of Commerce Coordinators, there is now a permanent fixture of their deeds available to the public in Wallace.

Two days before the celebration of Juneteenth this year, the Wallace Chamber of Commerce hosted 50 members of the “Iron Riders” re-enactors group at their office to unveil a new historical sign.

This sign, largely paid for through funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Idaho Humanities Council, details the many strong connections the local area has to Buffalo Soldiers — the all African-American U.S. Army soldiers.

Former Chamber Coordinator Dave Copelan explained that units from Ft. Missoula, and later Ft. Wright in Spokane, participated in restoring order during the 1890s mining wars, as well as helping rescue Wallace townsfolk from the Great Fire of 1910 — still the largest wildland fire in U.S. history.

Also detailed on the sign is the excursion of the Iron Riders — a group of 20 African American Soldiers, along with two white officers, a doctor and newspaper reporter, that set off on an epic 1,900-mile bicycle ride from Missoula, Mont., to St. Louis, Mo., on June 14, 1897.

“Nicknamed the Iron Riders for both the heavy one speed cycles they pedaled and their iron hard constitutions, the intrepid group made the trip in six weeks, battling poor roads, every kind of weather condition, meager rations and prejudice,” Copeland said. “But they received a hero's welcome and national acclaim when they arrived in St. Louis.”

The signs themselves came to fruition after the United States Forest Service approached the Wallace Chamber about creating them.

The unveiling event was co-orchestrated with longtime Iron Rider re-enactor, as well as president of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Orange County, Bobby McDonald and Emma Rolston with Destination Missoula.

In 2019, the re-enactors and the town of Wallace got together for commemorative rides of the Route of the Hiawatha, the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, and made special appearances in town.

“We were delighted to honor the heroism of the Iron Riders, the service of the African American Units and that of all U.S. veterans,” McDonald said.

As a result of the June 2019 event, the Black Chamber of Commerce of Orange County and the Wallace Chamber officially became sister chambers.

“We found a real partner with Buffalo Soldier organizations and the Black Chamber of Commerce of Orange County,” Copelan said. “We continue to look forward to working together on several projects now and in the future.”