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20151025 - A Toltec Mask in Wallace Idaho


October 25, 2015, Sunday

After breakfast, we crossed to Pacific time and readjusted our clocks. We stopped in Wallace Idaho, site of the Big Burn, a huge wildfire that consumed millions of acres of forest land in Idaho, in 1910. We ate at the Silver Grill and Bar, then went across the street to Tabor's Emporium. This is a gigantic consignment shop.



Apparently, when old people die in town, their relatives clear everything out of the house and put them on sale at Tabor's Emporium. For $26.45, we found and bought what appears to be an actual Toltec mask. This is a ceramic mask with the Toltec helmet and one cheek puffed out as if chewing coca leaves, and a lizard on the forehead. Someone clumsily drilled a couple of holes on either side of the mask and threaded wire through them so that it could be hung on a wall. The mask contains no maker's mark. It has what appears to be very old dirt in the nose holes. As soon as we can, we will have the mask assessed to see if it is genuine, and possibly donate it to a Museum.



We took Bank Street to King Street, and drove up the back hill to a plaque at Ranger Pulaski Trailhead. It looked like a beautiful hike up the mountain to the tunnels where Ranger Pulaski took settlers to escape the ravages of the fire, getting burned himself in the process. We did not have time for the three-hour hike, so we got back on the road at about 12:45 PM.

We arrived at the Peppertree Best Western in Omak, WA very late. We went to dinner at a good Italian restaurant, and went straight to bed. It was a very quiet room on the fourth floor, in the corner. The hotel has a pool and sauna that are available 24 hours a day. Sadly, we did not get to use it.

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