1 minute read
Griz Days
History
Advertisement
Fernie is named after William Fernie, who played a huge part in starting coal mining in this community at the end of the 1800’s. Fernie took off in earnest when the Canadian Pacific Railroad came through the area in 1898, and the abundance of coal fueled the trains that crossed the continent and connected east to west.
A community with a vibrant and at times chaotic past, Fernie burned down twice in the early 1900’s – which is why much of today’s downtown is made up of elegant historical brick and stone buildings instead of wood.
Today many of these buildings are lovingly preserved and on display for visitors and locals alike to enjoy.
Fernie has gone through booms and busts, with a population of 6,000 as far back as 1910, and economic collapses that hollowed it out between then and the 1960s including war, the great depression, and the faltering of the coal industry.
Today, mining is again thriving in the Elk Valley, though the underground mines that supported the Fernie of its first 50 or so years of life are long gone, today the industry remains a pillar of the economy of the entire Elk Valley.
The other major pillar is tourism, which has been going from strength to strength since the ski hill was opened in the 1960s.
Fernie Museum
Discover local heritage with the Fernie Museum! On the corner of 2nd Avenue and 5th Street is the Fernie Museum, a heritage building packed with Fernie’s history. The building itself is an important part of Fernie’s — and Canada’s — story, having been part of a nationwide financial scandal that contributed to the failure of Canada’s Home Bank in 1923. Pick up a heritage walking tour brochure from the Fernie Museum or Visitor Information Centre and discover all of Fernie’s historical buildings, including: The Fernie Court House, an award winning chateau-style structure completed in 1911, or Fernie City Hall, the former headquarters of The Crow’s Nest Pass Coal Company. One of the few buildings to survive the Great Fire, this Dutch barn style building served as a place of refuge during and after the fire.
The Museum also offers Guided Walking Tours, and will host a new art exhibition: Second Skin – Saving the Planet One Garment at a Time, this winter.
