Wallace, Idaho, is a unique town. It was once known as the Silver Capital of the World, producing 1.2 billion ounces of silver. All the downtown buildings are on the Historic Register. It is a Superfund site and has a population of 784 people. And it is the Center of the Universe. Specifically, a manhole cover on the corner was proclaimed the Center of the Universe by a mayoral proclamation in 2004. Shauna Hillman explained how that designation was determined.
I ask Hillman why Wallace is the Center of the Universe.
“Why not?” she responds. “That’s the answer to why is it the Center of the Universe.” The second answer: “Prove it isn’t.”
The real answer, Hillman continues, relies on the theory of probabilism: If you cannot prove that Wallace is not the Center of the Universe, then it must be the Center of the Universe.
Read more about the fascinating small town of Wallace at Atlas Obscura.
(Image credit: Wallace Chamber of Commerce)