Favorite things about the Silver Valley: Elmer's Fountain

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is part two in a series chronicling people's favorite things in the Silver Valley. 

The Silver Valley is full of special places. Many of them are front and center in the community, but some of them are hidden in plain sight.  

One of the more unique spots is Elmer’s Fountain.  

Nestled in a wooded glen on the south side of Interstate 90 between Mullan and Wallace, the fountain sits just off the highway on its very own exit (66 if you’re wondering).  

Over the years, hundreds of thousands of people have made a pit stop at the fountain, either because of curiosity or wonderment or because it has become a regular part of their trips through North Idaho.  

But what is Elmer’s Fountain? Why is it there? And why do people love it so much?  

The fountains sit at the bottom of Gold Creek, where the natural spring water is piped down the hill to allow the fountains to flow all year.  

The fountain is named after Elmer Almquist, who purchased the property from A.A.M. Arnold, a wealthy property owner and world traveler, in the 1960s.  

Don Almquist, Elmer’s stepson and the principal at Wallace Jr./Sr. High School, can remember when he was a young boy, working alongside his brother and stepfather as they dug the channel where they laid the pipe that feeds the fountains.  

“The fountains are all made from things from the mines,” Almquist said. “I was in junior high when we dug the ditch. It was 3-feet deep and a foot-and-a-half wide, and my stepdad paid us $1 per foot to dig it. My brother-in-law, Wayne Chambers, has maintained the fountains for the past 20 years now and does a great job.”  

The fountains were put in to draw people’s attention, but no one thought it would become a place where people would go out of their way to get their drinking water.  

Many people didn’t know that for quite a few of those years, the water collection box was not sealed off and that all manner of things got into it, including a deer that got stuck and died in the box. Now, the water collection box that feeds the fountain is closed off and the water is regarded as some of the best spring water.  

“For years, people would stop in and tell us that this is the best water that they’d ever had,” Almquist said. “It’s good mountain water, and it’s always ice-cold.”  

The summertime is probably the easiest time to visit Elmer’s Fountain, but if you can make it in the winter, you’re in for a treat.  

“The water flows all year, so in the wintertime, it creates some amazing ice formations that are fun to look at,” Almquist said.  

Megan Street, a local photographer, said that Elmer’s Fountain is her favorite place in Shoshone County.  

“It’s such a cool little landmark,” Street said. “I think it’s my favorite place, not just because of the fountains that you don’t see anywhere else, but also the nature. It’s a beautiful place to take pictures.” 

    One of two hand-crafted fountains at Elmer's Fountain – the water flowing comes from the nearby Gold Creek and is pipped in year-round to keep the fountains flowing – even in the wintertime.