For at least a hundred years, visitors and residents have admired the beauty of Fernie. They have come in search of a simpler life…

There was a time in Western Canada when vanilla extract could only be obtained from a specially licensed druggist.

The communities of Coal Creek and Michel-Natal, where the coal seams were lucrative, survived for over 50 years.

Fernie City Hall is the home of the Miner’s Walk, a tribute to Fernie’s mining legacy featuring municipal gardens, local sculpture, and interpretive panels.

Akamina #1 was the first oil well drilled in BC. This was done in 1907 by the Royal Canadian Oil Company.

It was one dramatic defining moment that brought about the architectural vista that one is presented with in downtown Fernie these days.

Just over a century ago, populated seasonally by First Nations peoples, Fernie was a pristine wilderness.

From 1904 to 1958, the year of his death, Joseph Frederick Spalding was a prolific commercial photographer, active around British Columbia and beyond.

In the early days, snow shoeing, tobogganing and skating were the winter sports most enjoyed by Fernie residents.

The first Court House was simply a shack that used for less than one year. Then in April, 1899, the courts moved to a “grander” building which measured 28 feet square.

Fernie owes its existence to the start-up of the local coal mines in 1897 and the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1898.

The Heritage Walking Tour provides an excellent glimpse into Fernie’s historic past, showcasing the beautiful historic buildings that give Fernie its unique character and charm.

The reason why two railways served the Elk Valley from 1904 to 1936 is intimately intertwined with the history of Canada, Canadian/American relations, Federal/Provincial politics, and corporate competition.

Imagine beginning your work day, every day, in pitch blackness. The only sounds you hear are those of your fellow workers…