Fernie & Elk Valley Culture Guide Fernie & Elk Valley Cultural Guide - Winter 18-19 | Page 32

6   HOLY FAMILY
CATHOLIC CHURCH 
521 4th Avenue
The history of the church dates back to
the beginning of Fernie when Father J.
Welsh was sent from Cranbrook to hold
masses for approximately 200 miners
in 1898. 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 was and still is
home to Fernie’s largest congregation.
7  THE CROW’S NEST PASS
COAL CO. OFFICES 
501 3rd Avenue
Now in use as City Hall
In 1905, the Crow’s Nest Pass Coal
Co. constructed this building as the
head office to manage its expanding
coal mining operations. It also housed
the offices of the Crow’s Nest Pass
Electric Co. and the Morrissey-Fernie-
Michel Railway, subsidiaries of the
coal company. Constructed in cement
blocks, the building survived the 1908
Great Fire and served as a place of
refuge during and after the fire. It
has served as Fernie’s City Hall since
1984. Located on the grounds, the
Miner’s Walk is a fascinating glimpse
into Fernie’s coal mining heritage with
interpretive panels, sculptures, ironwork
art, benches and more.
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8  THE FERNIE POST OFFICE
AND CUSTOMS OFFICE 
492 3rd Avenue | Now in use as the
Fernie Heritage Library
This imposing Romanesque Revival
building reflects Fernie’s importance
as a government centre for the region;
the engraved stone signs above the
entrance to the Post Office and
Customs Office are still in place. The
building, for a time, served as the US
consul office for the region. Built in
1907, the building was gutted but not
destroyed in the 1908 Great Fire.
An exhibit on the 1908 Great Fire
is located on the landing of the main
staircase. See P26 for more.
9   Salvation Army
260 5th Street | Now in use as
Eye of the Needle Studio
In 1904, William Eschwig of the
Northern Hotel made a trade in
which he secured the Salvation Army
this site in exchange for the Victoria
Avenue location, where they had been
operating since November 3, 1900.
The original building was lost in the
1908 Fire. The replacement building,
seen here, was the Salvation Army’s