Fernie & Elk Valley Culture Guide Fall 2019 Edition | Page 20

HERITAGE ARCHITECTURE
SPARWOOD MURAL AND MINE
ARTIFACTS WALKING TOUR
1
The story of coal mining in Sparwood spans over a century, from the first
underground mines at nearby Michel in 1899 to some of the most productive open
pit mines in the world. In the 1960’s, the original town sites of Michel and Natal
were relocated to Sparwood. The Sparwood walking tour reproduces scenes of the
old town sites and their people, and the mining equipment that was used to mine
the coal. Over the years, coal extraction methods have evolved from picks and
ponies to the massive electric shovels and 240-ton haul trucks of modern surface
mining. The objects along the walking tour bear witness to the evolution of
Elk Valley coal mining, from the early 1940s through to the 1980s.
Start this easy self-guided walking tour from the Sparwood Visitor Centre.
Tour walking time approximately 60 minutes.
1 1973 TEREX TITAN TRUCK
This vehicle held title of world’s
largest, highest capacity haul truck
for 25 yrs. 10 MURAL: SEATED MINERS,
1989, DAN SAWATSKY
A simple yet evocative depiction
of the miner’s lunch break.
2 BALMER NORTH STATUE
A memorial to the lives lost in
the mines around Sparwood
and Elkford. 3 MINING ARTIFACTS
Follow the marked trail to
examine a variety of mining
artifacts including coal cutting
equipment, the Joy Loader
and Shuttle, innovations in
technology allowing mining
production to be continuous
and safer. 11 MURAL: TRACK TEAM, 1995
Hometown boys pose after winning
the East Kootenay Championship
on May 24, 1942. By Michelle
Loughery, Amy Sharma, Jessie
Johnsen, Laura Patriquin & Alayna
Berdusco.
9
20
12 MURAL: THE WAR
MEMORIAL, 1997
A tribute to local men and women
in the Army, Navy, and Air Force
in World War I and World War
II. By Michelle Loughery, Amy
Sharma, Laura Patriquin, Liz
Allardice, & Andrea Nunes.