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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 Knox on 2nd performing arts venue 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; it is undergoing extensive upgrades and is in use as a popular entertainment space.
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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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