Wallace, Idaho

One hundred years ago, Wallace, Idaho, nearly disappeared from the map, and what a tragedy that might have been. The town, set in a narrow, wooded canyon surrounded by the Bitterroot Mountains, is the hub of one of the richest mining districts in the world. Over one billion ounces of silver and other precious metals have been extracted from the nearby area earning it the moniker, Silver Capital of the World. It has an amazing collection of late 19th century buildings and the entire town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Like many western mining towns, Wallace has a rowdy past and quirky reputation, but has also experienced some rather spectacular disasters.

After gold and silver were discovered in the region, fortune seekers and miners arrived in droves, and by 1886, Wallace was a thriving community. In 1890, a fire destroyed the entire downtown center. The community rebuilt the town using bricks and cast iron instead of wood so it could survive any future fires. That was a wise decision for in 1910, an epic forest fire swept through the area. In 36 hours, the conflagration, known as the Big Burn, ravaged an area the size of Connecticut, taking 87 lives along the way. Over one-third of Wallace was destroyed.

Throughout the 1890s, Wallace was the scene of violent labor wars between the newly-formed unions and the mining companies. The U.S. Army was called upon to quell the fighting and before things settled down, a train full of dynamite blew up the Bunker Hill Mine, over one thousand miners were held in a makeshift prison, the governor of Idaho was assassinated, and it all ended with a Clarence Darrow trial in Boise. Then, there were several major floods and a dreadful mine accident where over 90 miners lost their lives. No wonder Wallace was chosen as the locale for the disaster film, Dante’s Peak.

Despite its small size, Wallace is home to a trio of excellent museums. The Wallace District Mining Museum, located in an old bakery building in the downtown area, tells the history of the mining industry from the 1880s to present time. There are mine models, drilling equipment, lighting devices, tools and all sorts of guy-stuff related to mining, but of special interest is the exhibit on the labor wars of the late 19th century. The museum is the home of “Old Blinky,” the last stop light on Interstate 90 between Boston and Seattle. Because of the confines of the canyon location, many historic buildings needed to be razed to complete construction of the interstate highway through town. To save them, folks had the entire town put on the National Register, thus ensuring protection from the wrecking ball. The freeway now by-passes town on an elevated viaduct.

The Northern Pacific Railroad Museum is in the attractive town depot. While it’s been 30 years since the last train ran through Wallace, the depot serves as a reminder of a time when the railroad played an important role in the development of the region. The building was constructed in 1901 in the chateau-style architecture so popular in Canada at that time. The bricks were imported from China and originally destined for a luxury hotel in Tacoma that never materialized. Inside, is a museum that should please any railroad buff with all sorts of Northern Pacific memorabilia.

The third museum in town is quite unusual, featuring a tasteful glimpse at the world’s “oldest profession.” For years, a number of brothels operated in Wallace’s red-light district and, while prostitution was illegal in the state of Idaho, law enforcement looked the other way. The Oasis Bordello, opened in 1895, served the community until 1988 when it abruptly closed its doors. The occupants obviously left in a big hurry, taking little with them. The rooms upstairs are as they left them with personal items lying about and dirty dishes in the kitchen sink.
Other things to do in Wallace include a trolley tour through the Sierra Silver Mine; a bicycle ride along the Route of the Hiawatha, considered the best of all the rails-to-trails rides in the country; and, most importantly, indulging in a huckleberry milkshake at the Red Light Garage diner.

Vista House

Look through any picture book of Oregon, and you can be sure there will be a photograph of the Vista House, perched on a promontory 733-feet above the Columbia River at Crown Point. With its awe-inspiring view and unparalleled setting, it serves as one of the most recognizable sites along the Columbia Gorge and a true Oregon icon.
The Historic Columbia River Highway was designed in 1913 to connect a series of waterfalls, scenic vistas, and natural wonders along the south side of the Columbia River, east of Portland. It was the first scenic road in America and combined traditional European and modern road-building techniques to create a spectacular highway that blended well with the landscape. Referred to as the “King of Roads,” it was a popular drive for early Portland motorists.
The story goes that Julius Meier, of Meier and Frank, had a summer home in Corbett at the western edge of the Columbia River Highway and one day took a group of ladies for a Sunday drive along the recently completed road. During the outing, it became obvious to him that there was a dire need for a comfort station or rest stop somewhere along the route. He immediately presented the idea to the Multnomah Board of County Commissioners. Samuel Lancaster, the county engineer who had supervised the building of the Columbia River Highway, had already expressed interest in constructing a building at Crown Point. He wanted “an observatory from which the view both up and down the Columbia could be viewed in silent communion with the infinite.”

Early plans called for a simple concrete and wood rest stop to serve travelers; a modest structure costing about $17,000. Edgar Lazarus, a Portland architect, designed Vista House in 1915 in the German Art Nouveau style and, thanks to the leadership and inspiration of Portland’s movers and shakers, the indistinct comfort station evolved into the beautiful building of today. The floors, stairs and wainscoting were covered with rare Tokeen Alaskan marble; the interior of the rotunda was lined with creamy, pink Kasota limestone; the inside dome was painted to resemble marble and bronze; gray sandstone was used to face the exterior; green tiles covered the roof; and the upper windows were designed with greenish, opalized glass. Of course, all these improvements and embellishments came with a high price tag, and by the time the building was completed, the costs had soared to over $100,000. County taxpayers who ultimately had to pick up the tab became increasingly disgruntled, leading one local newspaper to refer to the project as “the most expensive comfort station in the world.”

Despite the protests, the building was dedicated on May 5, 1918, amid much hoopla. For years, it served as a rest stop for motorists, a monument to Oregon pioneers, and an architectural treasure on the historic Columbia River Highway. Its location at the highest point along the road also made it vulnerable to the extreme weather conditions of the wind-swept Gorge. Over time, rainwater seeped into the rotunda damaging the marble wainscoting, stained glass windows, and terrazzo floors. Well-intentioned but ill-conceived attempts to weatherproof the structure actually caused more damaged. Vents were covered, windows were replaced with double-pane glass, skylights were covered with concrete. These repairs trapped moisture inside the building and the interior began to deteriorate badly. Crumbling masonry and falling tiles created a danger to visitors and Vista House was closed to the public in 2001.

Fundraising by local public and private agencies including Friends of Vista House and Oregon State Parks Trust helped generate the $4 million needed for repairs. The original daylighting design and natural ventilation systems were restored; a new glazed green tile roof was installed, new energy efficient restrooms and a sanitary system added; stained glass replaced; new interpretive exhibits and security system were added; and the building was made ADA accessible for all to enjoy.

City of Roses

It’s June and the City of Roses is gearing up for another Rose Festival, another Grand Floral Parade, and another year of celebrating the city’s best known flower. When locals and out-of-towners want to stop and smell the roses, they generally head for the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park. But, Portland has another rose garden; one that is older and bigger, but not as well known.
Located in the Piedmont neighborhood in North Portland, Peninsula Park is bordered by Rosa Parks Way on the north and Ainsworth Avenue on the south with Albina and Kerby forming the east and west sides. The inspiration for the park was the City Beautiful Movement of the early 1900s, a nationwide effort at urban revitalization aimed at making cities more attractive and appealing places with parks, recreational opportunities, and community pride. While Portland lacked the industrial blight of older, Eastern cities, it was experiencing a period of rapid growth and expansion and prime for some urban development. The city responded by hiring the Olmsted Brothers, the premier landscape architects of that time, to visit the city and develop an open space and park plan. Their contributions continue to be enjoyed today in many of the city’s most popular parks- Forest, Washington, Laurelhurst, Sellwood, Mt. Tabor, Westmoreland, Peninsula and others.

The 16-acre parcel of land designated for Peninsula Park was purchased in 1909 for $60,000 and, according to the Department of Parks and Recreation, was formerly the site of a roadhouse and horse racetrack owned by businesswoman Liverpool Liz. When completed in 1913, the land was transformed into an outstanding example of a neighborhood park of that era, and included a community center with swimming pool, children’s playground, and Portland’s first public rose garden.
The two acres devoted to the garden were laid out in a formal, classic, European-style with symmetrical rows, neatly trimmed boxwood hedges outlining the flower beds, brick pathways, and a large water fountain and pool in the center. The sunken garden was situated six feet below street level and contained nearly 9,000 roses representing 65 varieties. The official rose of Portland, Mme. Caroline Testout, was cultivated here and can still be seen growing in the garden. This deep pink rose was extremely popular at the turn of the century. After World War I, the city planted 10,000 of them along 20 miles of street ways; thus earning the moniker, City of Roses.

Overlooking the garden is an ornate, octagonal band shell built in 1913. It served as the setting for patriotic rallies during World War I and is now a popular venue for summer weddings and concerts. The last of its kind in Portland, the building is a National Heritage Historical Structure and official Portland Historic Landmark.
When the rose garden first opened in 1913, it was an immediate hit and received over 300,000 visitors in the first year. Floral enthusiasts made it the home of the annual rose show. In the meantime, the city with the support of the American Rose Society was developing a rose test garden in Washington Park on Portland’s west side. When the International Rose Test Garden opened in 1917, rose festival activities moved there leaving Peninsula Park’s lovely garden to enjoy its quiet, neighborhood ambiance.
While on the eastside of town, another place to view an outstanding assortment of roses is in the Ladd’s Addition Rose Gardens. This urban, residential neighborhood in southeast Portland off Hawthorne Avenue was originally laid out in 1891. While most of the area streets are on a grid system, the Ladd’s Addition consists of diagonal streets extending outward from a central park. At each of the four compass points are diamond-shaped rose gardens with a total of 3,000 plants.

Not in Portland, but another charming rose garden on the eastside is the Sara Hite Memorial Rose Garden located on Kellogg Creek Road in the southeast suburb of Milwaukie, across from the Milwaukie Senior Center. With over 450 rose bushes in neatly manicured beds, the garden also features a lovely gazebo, large brick plaza, and plenty of benches for stopping and smelling the roses.