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THE HOME BANK
491 2nd Ave | ferniemuseum . com Now in use as the Fernie Museum
Constructed in 1910 to house a branch of the Home Bank and Herchmer-Mitchell law office . The failure of the Home Bank in 1923 cost Fernie depositors $ 800,000 and led to a rewriting of Canada ’ s banking laws . Except for the paint , the exterior is in its original configuration .
2 HOW FOON ’ S LAUNDRY
491 1st Ave - Now in use as The Elks Hall
The Chinese entrepreneur How Foon established several businesses in this building constructed in 1908 including a cafe , laundry , shoemaking shop , and rented apartments . The Fernie Elks Club purchased the building for use as a hall . The exterior surface retains its original outline and advertising mural for ‘ Royal Crown Soap ’.
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THE IMPERIAL BANK
401 2nd Ave - Now in use as The Brickhouse
This site was originally the location of the offices of The Crow ’ s Nest Pass Coal Co . which burned down in 1904 . The Imperial Bank building was erected in 1909 and operated in Fernie until 1963 when the Imperial Bank of Canada merged with the Canadian Bank of Commerce to form CIBC . The brick and sandstone exterior retains many striking original features .
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4 CROW ’ S NEST HOTEL & THE MINER ’ S HALL
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301 & 321 2nd Ave - Now in use as The Central Bar & Himalayan Spice Bistro , and The Vogue Theatre
The ‘ workingman ’ s ’ hotel first opened on this site in 1901 , replaced in 1909 after the great fire with the current building , as The Central Hotel . Next door , the Miner ’ s Hall was built in 1909 on a vacant lot and later renamed as The Grand . It became the Vogue Theatre in 1947 .
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5 KNOX UNITED CHURCH
201 2nd Ave | fernieheritagetrust . ca Now in use as a community performing arts space A wooden church was built on this site in 1898 and replaced with the current structure in 1910 following the great fire . It was home to church congregations until 2023 . The building is now owned and managed by the Fernie Heritage Trust Society as a performing arts venue .
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6 WORLD WAR I INTERNMENT MEMORIAL
Elk River – Unveiled 2005
During Canada ’ s first national internment operations of 1914-1920 , thousands of Ukrainians and other Europeans were imprisoned as ‘ enemy aliens .’ The Fernie Internment Camp was initially set up on this site in the ice rink , later moving to an empty hotel in the then-abandoned community of Morrissey .
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THE COURT HOUSE
401 4th Ave - Now in use as Provincial Courts and Government Offices
Lauded as one of BC ’ s best buildings ( 2014 , BC Architecture Foundation ), the Court House is a spectacular chateau-style building rarely found in the area . Built in 1909 and opened in 1911 at a cost of around $ 100,000 . Significant architectural features include six stained glass windows highlighting the history of British Columbia .
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8 HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH
521 4th Ave
Father J . Welsh was sent from Cranbrook to Fernie in 1898 to hold masses for approximately 200 miners . Some of these miners donated one day ’ s wages every month towards the construction of a place of worship and volunteer parishioners completed this church in 1912 . It remains home to Fernie ’ s largest congregation .
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9 CROW ’ S NEST PASS COAL COMPANY
501 3rd Ave | fernie . ca Now in use as City Hall & The Miner ’ s Walk
Constructed of cement blocks in 1905 as the head office of the expanding coal mining operations . The building served as a place of refuge during and after the 1908 Great Fire . It has served as Fernie ’ s City Hall since 1984 . The Miner ’ s Walk reflects Fernie ’ s coal mining heritage through interpretive panels and sculptures .
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10 FERNIE POST OFFICE & CUSTOMS OFFICE
492 3rd Ave | fernie . bc . libraries . coop Now in use as Fernie Heritage Library
This imposing Romanesque Revival building reflects Fernie ’ s importance as a government centre for the region . The 1907 building was gutted but not destroyed in the 1908 Great Fire and later served as the US consul office for the area . An exhibit on the 1908 Great Fire is located on the main staircase .
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SALVATION ARMY
260 5th St - Now in use as Eye of the Needle Studio & Gallery
In 1904 , the Salvation Army acquired this location in a trade for their Victoria Avenue ( now 2nd Ave ) site , where they had been operating since November 3 , 1900 . The original building was lost in the 1908 Great Fire and replaced shortly after . The replacement building was the Salvation Army ’ s home until 2001 .
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12 ISIS THEATRE
531 2nd Ave - Now in use as Nevados Restaurant
In 1910 , William Eschwig began construction on Eschwig ’ s Hall at this location , next to his Northern Hotel . It was remodelled and opened as the Isis Theatre in 1911 . The theatre was remodelled in 1930 and reopened as The Orpheum Theatre . Moving pictures entertained Fernie residents here until it closed in 1949 .
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13 THE FERNIE HOSPITAL & NURSE ’ S HOME
802 3rd Ave & 802 4th Ave
Now in use as the Old Nurse ’ s Residence – short term rentals , and private residences Doctors Corsan & Bonnell built a hospital on 3rd Avenue shortly before the great fire of 1908 , replacing it in 1909 after it burned down . The Nurse ’ s Home was built one block down on 4th Avenue . The hospital was later replaced by a one-story apartment building and the Nurse ’ s Home became a B & B in 1993 .
14 FERNIE SECONDARY SCHOOL
901 2nd Ave - Now in use as 901 Fernie apartments & Spa 901
Fernie Secondary School ( formerly Fernie Central School ) operated here for 89 years from 1909 - 1998 . Elementary grades were also offered until a new elementary school was opened in 1966 . Early photographs show that the façade looked much as it does today , however it was covered with stucco from 1978 until 2006 .
15 FERNIE CARTAGE COMPANY
701 2nd Ave - Now in use as Urban Settler & private residences
Following the 1908 Great Fire , the Fernie Cartage Company rebuilt its livery using rubblestone from the banks of the Elk River , making it unique in downtown Fernie . Before automobiles were commonly used , the Livery delivered milk , coal , and other goods with a fleet of horse-drawn drays .
16 CPR STATION
601 1st Ave | theartsstation . com Now in use as The Arts Station
The Canadian Pacific Railway station was once the centre of activity in Fernie . Passenger services were discontinued in 1964 , however , the train tracks are still in daily use as a freight route . The building was moved and refurbished in 1987 and reopened as a community arts venue .
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