Mace
Mace
A Town in Constant Ruin
Was named after Amasa “Mace” Campbell one of the owners of the Standard and Mammoth mines located on the hill sides as you entire Mace from Wallace. It its day the the mines were second only to the Bunker Hill in size. The community had its own grade/high school. Several large snow sides destroyed the town the last one in 1956 which completely destroyed what was left of Mace.
Like most of the towns in Burke canyon, Mace had a high likelihood for natural disaster. The most devastating of which was the avalanche of 1910; Destroying most of the town. This Avalanche affected most of the towns in the canyon, but Mace was damaged the worst. It is estimated that 20 people lost their lives and hundreds were injured.
Mace destroyed after the 1910 Avalanche
Picture of Mace from the mountain
There were other disasters in the valley in 1913 and 1923. In 1913, there was a flood that swept down the streets of Burke and Mace with debris and sediment stacking up against the walls of the Tiger Hotel. In 1923, the fire destroyed most of Burke and some of Mace.
Outside of documentation of the several disasters, there is not much information about the day to day life of Mace. Most of the men were working in the mines, and the women were housewives.