Fernie & Elk Valley Culture Guide Spring-Summer 2019 | Page 21

SUMMER WALKING TOURS AT THE FERNIE MUSEUM Join the Fernie Museum for a guided historical walking tour this summer. Tours are approximately 90 minutes through Historic Downtown Fernie and are suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. Tours are offered on Saturdays and Sundays from June 8 – September 1, plus the first Monday in July, August & September. Tours depart from the Museum at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, or call to book a private tour. $15 per person. TOUR ITINERARIES Rum Running and the Whiskey Six Discover the story of the three larger- than-life king-pin Rum Runners – Emilio Picariello, Jack Wilson and Mark Rogers – who ruled the illicit liquor trade from Lethbridge to Fernie down as far as Spokane, Washington. The Great Fire of 1908 In 1908, the mines of the Elk Valley were booming. Fernie, as a thriving regional hub, had grown to a population of nearly 6,000 people from nearly every corner of the world. On August 1, 1908 tragedy again struck this mining community. In less than 90 minutes, the city of Fernie was consumed by a firestorm. Discover stories of heroism and loss, learn how the town rebuilt in just three short years and explore how this event has shaped Fernie as we see it today Fernie at War Fernie entered the First World War in 1914 with optimism and a sense of national pride. Five years later, it emerged having experienced staggering losses and multiple controversies that threatened to tear the community apart. Demands for internment of enemy aliens, resistance to prohibition and moral reform, the consequences of natural and man-made disasters, the unprecedented banning of recruitment, and the western labour revolt were all issues that Fernie faced far from the front. 691 2nd Ave  |  250-423-7016 ferniemuseum.com 21