Shoshone County is Idaho’s Silver Valley — a 40-mile corridor of mining towns strung along Interstate 90 and the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River, from Pinehurst on the west to Mullan at the Montana border. One of the original counties of Idaho Territory (established 1864), Shoshone County takes its name from the Shoshone Native American tribe. Its identity, however, is defined by silver, lead, and zinc. The Coeur d’Alene Mining District — encompassing mines like Bunker Hill, Sunshine, Lucky Friday, Star-Morning, and Galena — produced approximately 1.286 billion ounces of silver between 1884 and 2006, making it one of the most productive silver mining districts in world history. About 87% of the county’s 2,636 square miles is federally managed public land within the Coeur d’Alene and Kaniksu National Forests.
The county seat is Wallace — a remarkably intact Victorian mining town that retains much of its historic architecture and has reinvented itself as a tourism destination. Kellogg, the county’s largest city, is home to Silver Mountain Resort, which offers year-round skiing, mountain biking, and a large indoor water park. The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, a 72-mile paved rail-trail from Mullan to Plummer, is one of the premier recreational trails in the American West. The Bunker Hill Superfund Site — one of the largest and most complex EPA cleanup projects in United States history — has been substantially remediated, with over 7,000 properties cleaned and federal recognition in 2018 as one of the EPA’s top redevelopment sites. The cost of living in Shoshone County is approximately 22.5% below the national average, making it one of the more affordable communities in the Idaho panhandle.
All landlord-tenant matters in Shoshone County are governed by Idaho Code §§ 6-301 et seq. (evictions), §§ 6-320 and 6-321 (security deposits), and §§ 55-208 and 55-307 (tenancy and notice). Eviction actions are filed as Unlawful Detainer proceedings at the Shoshone County District Court (First Judicial District), 700 Bank Street, Suite 120, Wallace, ID 83873, (208) 752-1264. Idaho prohibits rent control statewide.
1.286 billion oz silver produced (1884–2006). Mines: Bunker Hill, Sunshine (360M oz; 1972 disaster, 91 killed), Lucky Friday (still active), Star-Morning, Galena. Bunker Hill Superfund (1983 designation; 7,000+ properties remediated)
Principal Economy
Mining (Lucky Friday silver mine, still active); Silver Mountain Resort (tourism, skiing, water park); Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes (72-mi trail, Mullan to Plummer); healthcare; government; lumber
Cost of Living
~22.5% below US national average — very affordable
Historic Sites
Cataldo Mission (oldest standing building in Idaho); Wallace Historic District; Murray (last great gold rush in lower 48, 1883–85); Ed Pulaski/1910 Big Burn; Sunshine Mine Memorial
Rent Control
Prohibited statewide (Idaho Code § 55-304)
Landlord Rating
5/10 — Very affordable; recreation economy growing; Lucky Friday mine provides stable employment; Coeur d’Alene commuter potential; historic character; no local ordinances
⚖️ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
3-Day Notice to Perform or Quit
No-Cause (Month-to-Month)
30-Day Written Notice
Court
Shoshone County District Court — Magistrate Division (1st Judicial District)
Courthouse Address
700 Bank St, Suite 120, Wallace, ID 83873
Court Phone
Main: (208) 752-1264 — General: (208) 752-1266
Court Hours
Mon–Fri 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Process Name
Unlawful Detainer
Post-Judgment
Writ of Possession; tenant has 72 hrs to vacate
Security Deposit
No cap; return within 21 days; 3× penalty for wrongful withholding
Avg Timeline
3–5 weeks typical
Shoshone County Local Ordinances & Landlord Rules
Idaho state law governs landlord-tenant matters throughout Shoshone County — no supplemental local ordinances
Category
Details
No Local Ordinances
Neither Shoshone County nor any of its incorporated cities — Wallace, Kellogg, Mullan, Osburn, Silverton, Smelterville, or Pinehurst — has enacted local landlord-tenant ordinances supplementing Idaho state law. No rental registration, no source-of-income protections, no supplemental notice requirements. Idaho Code §§ 6-301 et seq. applies exclusively throughout the county.
Rent Control
Idaho Code § 55-304 prohibits rent control statewide. No jurisdiction in Shoshone County may enact rent stabilization. Month-to-month rent increases require 30 days’ prior written notice before the rent due date.
Security Deposit
No statutory cap under Idaho law. Idaho Code § 6-321 requires return of the deposit or itemized written deductions within 21 days of tenancy end (up to 30 if lease specifies). Failure to comply forfeits the right to withhold and exposes the landlord to 3× damages plus attorney fees. Move-in and move-out condition documentation is essential.
Mining Employment and Market Stability
The Lucky Friday Mine near Mullan, operated by Hecla Mining Company, remains one of the most productive silver mines in the United States and is among the county’s most stable employers. Mining employment provides above-average wages and consistent income that makes Hecla employees and contractors excellent rental candidates. The broader mining-adjacent economy — equipment maintenance, safety consulting, environmental remediation (still ongoing at Bunker Hill), and supply chain businesses — also provides employment. Landlords should track Lucky Friday’s operating status; any extended shutdown (as occurred during 2017–2022 fire-related repairs) affects local employment significantly.
Recreation Economy and Coeur d’Alene Spillover
Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg offers year-round recreation — skiing and snowboarding in winter, mountain biking and an outdoor gondola in summer, plus a large indoor waterpark — generating seasonal hospitality and resort employment. The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, one of the premier rail-trails in America, draws cyclists from across the Northwest and beyond. Coeur d’Alene (approximately 35–40 miles west of Kellogg on I-90) provides access to a much larger employment market; some Coeur d’Alene commuters choose Silver Valley housing for dramatically lower costs. This Coeur d’Alene spillover demand is growing as remote work expands the geographic flexibility of professional workers.
Affordability and the Silver Valley’s Appeal
With a cost of living approximately 22.5% below the US national average, Shoshone County is one of the most affordable communities in the Idaho panhandle. Median home values in Wallace and Kellogg are substantially below Coeur d’Alene levels, making rental units accessible at price points that attract both working families and retirees seeking outdoor recreation lifestyle at low cost. This affordability is a genuine competitive advantage for landlords trying to maintain consistent occupancy — well-maintained units at reasonable rents rarely stay vacant long in this market.
Idaho Code §§ 6-301 et seq. — statutes, notice requirements, and landlord rights that apply in Shoshone County
⚡ Quick Overview
3
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
3
Days Notice (Violation)
15-30
Avg Total Days
$166
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type3-Day Notice to Pay or Quit
Notice Period3 days
Tenant Can Cure?Yes
Days to Hearing5-12 days
Days to Writ3-5 days
Total Estimated Timeline15-30 days
Total Estimated Cost$200-$500
⚠️ Watch Out
Idaho is very landlord-friendly with fast timelines. 3-day notice is one of the shortest in the nation. No state-mandated cure period beyond the notice.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Magistrate Court. Pay the filing fee (~$166).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Idaho eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Idaho attorney or local legal aid organization.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
~14,074 residents (2024). Wallace (county seat; Victorian mining town; historic district). Kellogg (largest city; Silver Mountain Resort; skiing, water park). Mullan (Lucky Friday Mine; Montana border; Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes trailhead). Silver Valley: 1.286 billion oz silver produced. Bunker Hill Superfund (remediated). Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes (72 mi, Mullan to Plummer). Cataldo Mission (oldest building in Idaho). Cost of living 22.5% below national avg. ~87% public lands. 1st JD, 700 Bank St Suite 120, Wallace, (208) 752-1264.
Shoshone County
Screen Before You Sign
Best profiles: Hecla Mining Lucky Friday Mine employees and contractors (year-round; above-average wages; verify with employment letter); Silver Mountain Resort year-round management and maintenance staff; Shoshone Medical Center healthcare staff; school district teachers and staff; county government employees; Coeur d’Alene commuters with remote or hybrid work (35–40 mi to CDA on I-90). For seasonal resort workers: fixed-term leases aligned to winter season; employer letters. Very affordable market — 3x income-to-rent is very achievable at Silver Valley rents. Run Idaho court records.
Silver, Labor, and the Trail: Landlording in Shoshone County, Idaho
Between 1884 and 2006, the Coeur d’Alene Mining District in Shoshone County produced approximately 1.286 billion ounces of silver — making it one of the most productive silver mining regions in the history of the world. The mines that created this wealth — Bunker Hill, Sunshine, Lucky Friday, Star-Morning, Galena, and dozens of others — also created one of Idaho’s most distinctive communities: a string of working-class mining towns along a 40-mile corridor of the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River that has always operated on its own terms, at its own pace, with its own identity. That identity is now evolving, as outdoor recreation and remote work bring new residents to a valley that has always been affordable and beautiful. Idaho Code §§ 6-301 et seq. governs all residential tenancies here today.
The Labor History of the Silver Valley
Shoshone County has one of the most dramatic labor histories of any Idaho county. In 1892, when mine owners attempted to reduce wages, miners organized a strike that escalated into an armed confrontation in Burke Canyon after the discovery of a Pinkerton spy in their ranks — a spy named Charlie Siringo. The U.S. Army was deployed to restore order. In 1899, miners dynamited the Bunker Hill & Sullivan mill in response to union-busting firings; the Army returned again. In 1905, former Governor Frank Steunenberg — who had ordered the 1899 Army response — was assassinated by a bomb at his Caldwell home, triggering one of the most celebrated criminal trials in American history, with Clarence Darrow defending accused organizer Big Bill Haywood. This labor history runs deep in the Silver Valley’s cultural memory and explains why Shoshone County was historically a Democratic-leaning county in an overwhelmingly Republican state.
The Sunshine Mine Disaster
On May 2, 1972, fire broke out in the Sunshine Mine near Kellogg. Ninety-one miners were killed, making it the deadliest hard-rock mining disaster in American history and the worst industrial accident in Idaho history. The Sunshine Mine had been one of the world’s most productive silver mines — in some years producing more silver than any other single mine on earth. A monument to the lost miners stands beside I-90 near the mine site. The disaster led to significant reforms in mine safety regulations. The Sunshine Mine property has changed hands multiple times since its closure in 2001.
Wallace: The Town That Stopped Interstate 90
Wallace, the county seat, has a distinction virtually unique among American cities: it caused the federal government to stop construction of an interstate highway. When I-90 was being built through the Silver Valley, the federal government sought to route it through Wallace’s historic downtown. Wallace residents fought back, and the town was placed on the National Register of Historic Places to prevent demolition. The result was a historic compromise: a viaduct was built to carry I-90 over Wallace rather than through it. For years, Wallace posted signs claiming to be “the center of the universe” — a tongue-in-cheek response to the attention the highway fight brought. The Wallace Historic District, with its remarkably intact Victorian commercial architecture, is today one of the most photographically compelling small-town main streets in Idaho.
Filing Evictions in Wallace
The Shoshone County District Court at 700 Bank Street, Suite 120, in Wallace serves the First Judicial District. Main: (208) 752-1264; General: (208) 752-1266. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Idaho’s 3-day notice period for nonpayment of rent applies uniformly throughout the county. In a county with an active mining community and a growing recreation workforce, written leases and formal notice procedures protect landlord interests in every community along the I-90 corridor.
Shoshone County landlord-tenant matters governed by Idaho Code §§ 6-301 et seq. (evictions), §§ 6-320 and 6-321 (security deposits), and §§ 55-208 and 55-307 (tenancy and notice). Nonpayment: 3-day pay or vacate. Lease violation: 3-day perform or quit. No-cause termination (month-to-month): 30-day written notice. Security deposit: no cap; return within 21 days (up to 30 if lease specifies); 3x penalty for improper handling. No rent control (Idaho Code § 55-304). No local landlord-tenant ordinances. Eviction: Unlawful Detainer at Shoshone County District Court (1st Judicial District), 700 Bank St, Suite 120, Wallace, ID 83873; Main (208) 752-1264; General (208) 752-1266; Mon–Fri 8am–5pm. 72-hour post-judgment vacate; Writ of Possession if tenant remains. Consult a licensed Idaho attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: May 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Shoshone County, Idaho and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with a licensed Idaho attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: May 2026.
