Origin of the Montana Place Name Wallace

In Don Bert Omundson's 1961 thesis "Study of place names in Missoula County, Montana," his entry for Wallace simply said, "(See Clinton)." However, he did include an entry for Wallace Creek: T12N Rl7W. Empties into the Clark Fork River from the e. near Clinton. Named for Lieutenant Wallace who captured some warring Blackfeet Indians there in 1878. (L. Custer Keim) Previous Names: Camas Trail Creek. This name existed as late as 1886, the year in which water rights were taken out on this stream. At that time this name was in concurrent usage with the name which later succeeded it, Wallace Creek. (Forest Swartz) Omundson's source, Lawrence Custer Keim, misidentified the tribe but correctly identified the origin of the place name Wallace. And he should know. His father, Frank M. Keim, was one of the three men who founded the Wallace Mining District. It looks like Omundson was well on his way to finding the truth. His thesis included a three-page supplement/app...