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This plaque honors Harry F. Magnuson and his leadership in the battle from 1970
to 1986 to save the Town of Wallace from destruction at the hands of State
and Federal highway officials. Born in Wallace in 1923, Harry became a legendary
business leader and philanthropist in the Northwest and beyond who never forgot
his roots in his beloved hometown.
The Federal Highway Administration and the Idaho Transportation Department
planned to route Interstate 90 directly through the center of Wallace.
Slated for the wrecking ball were blocks of historic buildings, including
the iconic Northern Pacific Railroad Depot, that linked the Town to its
storied past.
Harry Magnuson sued the FHA and ITD, alleging that they had failed to file
an Environmental Impact Statement. A Federal judged concurred, entered an
injunction, and halted the imminent bulldozers.
Harry [together with Nancy Lee Hansen]
secured placement of the entire Town
of Wallace on the National Register of Historic Places, creating insurmountable
roadblocks in the agencies' paths.
The stoplight at the corner of 7th and Bank Streets, the last on I-90 between
Seattle and Boston, became a stirring national symbol of Wallace's fight for
survival.
As a result of Harry's efforts, a compromise was struck, preserving Historic
Wallace. A new overhead
freeway was designed to bypass the Town. The Depot was moved across the South
Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River to its new location on 6th Street.
The battle won, the Townspeople conducted a ceremonial funeral for the
storied stoplight in 1991. Media from around the world reported the event.
Charles Kuralt of CBS News wanted to know how a town of 1,000 people could
stand up to the Federal government. The answer was �Harry.�
Historic Wallace is Harry Magnuson's legacy to the Town he loved so deeply.
Without his efforts, the elegant historic district you see today would be
nothing more than four lanes of concrete. With this in mind, a grateful
citizenry has dedicated the original routing of I-90 through Wallace as
"The Harry F. Magnuson Way."
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