The Hidden Secret Treasure in the Bowels of Idaho
You may ask what’s hidden about the Sierra Silver Mine. After all, there are regular tours at the site, not far from downtown Wallace, Idaho. The mine was a major employer in Shoshone County for decades. Teenage boys used to have school courses in a room carved out of the rock. They were apprenticing but were still required to go to class. The mine was a source of silver and lead.
It’s a sister site to a mine in neighboring Kellogg, where one of America’s worst underground disasters occurred. That was in 1972 when the industry still boomed in the state’s northern panhandle.
But what’s the secret of Sierra? It’s that there are shafts leading to what could be tons of the precious metal, but there’s no longer access.
You see, despite the mine starting at an elevation above the terrain (very rare), there was a vein of water beneath the hillside. Remember, there are natural springs across the western states. When someone accidentally struck one, the shaft filled with water. It’s now a deep pool; nobody enters the dark and watery chamber. Imagine the riches that are just out of reach! Idaho has a wealthy geographic history.
There are regular tours of the mine. You buy a ticket downtown, then wait for the trolley to return and pick you up for the short ride. You won’t need extensive directions to find the tickets. Wallace is a small town. You can find it simply by walking for a few minutes or asking a passing local.
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