{"id":14667,"date":"2023-08-30T15:26:32","date_gmt":"2023-08-30T22:26:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/?p=14667"},"modified":"2025-01-24T15:12:57","modified_gmt":"2025-01-24T23:12:57","slug":"fernie-a-city-that-has-experienced-many-ups-and-downs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/eternal-fernie-a-city-that-has-experienced-many-ups-and-downs","title":{"rendered":"Fernie, a city that has experienced many ups and downs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s impossible to disagree that the history of cities in British Columbia is quite interesting and full of various events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fernie is one of the province&#8217;s cities. It was founded in 1898. Interestingly, its population increases significantly in the winter. This is one of the most distinctive features of this city. Such a seasonal phenomenon is due to the incredible nature Fernie is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Learn more about the fascinating history of Fernie at <a href=\"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\">ivancouver<\/a>. (Source: <a href=\"http:\/\/fernie.ca\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fernie.ca<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a34567ebd11a\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a34567ebd11a\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/eternal-fernie-a-city-that-has-experienced-many-ups-and-downs\/#Beginning_of_the_story\" >Beginning of the story<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/eternal-fernie-a-city-that-has-experienced-many-ups-and-downs\/#Terrible_catastrophe\" >Terrible catastrophe<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/eternal-fernie-a-city-that-has-experienced-many-ups-and-downs\/#New_status\" >New status<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/eternal-fernie-a-city-that-has-experienced-many-ups-and-downs\/#Coal\" >Coal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/eternal-fernie-a-city-that-has-experienced-many-ups-and-downs\/#Ups_and_downs\" >Ups and downs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/eternal-fernie-a-city-that-has-experienced-many-ups-and-downs\/#Profitable_business\" >Profitable business<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/eternal-fernie-a-city-that-has-experienced-many-ups-and-downs\/#Dangerous_phenomenon\" >Dangerous phenomenon<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Beginning_of_the_story\"><\/span>Beginning of the story<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Currently, Fernie\u2019s economic activity is concentrated on \u200b\u200b\u200b\u200bthe mountain slopes. However, in the past, residents of the area were much more interested in the mountains themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The name of the city is associated with William Fernie, the founder of the coal industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After Michael Phillips discovered coal and Crowsnest Pass, Fernie founded the Crows Nest Pass Company in 1897. He also established a temporary camp near Coal Creek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Terrible_catastrophe\"><\/span>Terrible catastrophe<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fernie experienced a terrible catastrophe on May 23, 1902. Then an explosion in a coal mine caused the death of 109 miners. They work at the Crows Nest Coal Mining Company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, this catastrophe (by the way, it was one of the largest in all of Canada) is largely forgotten even by local historians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"New_status\"><\/span>New status<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the war began, several city premises were turned into a camp for interned prisoners of war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Coal\"><\/span>Coal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Coal mines were constructed ten kilometres from the city in the narrow Coal Creek valley. Until 1960, the area was occupied by a small settlement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s also worth noting that minerals were never extracted in Fernie. Coal coking was carried out on city territory. Fernie acquired the status of an administrative and commercial centre and was developing its industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the main roles in the formation of the city&#8217;s economy belonged to forestry. In addition, the local brewery produced beer called Fernie Beer, using mountain spring water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ups_and_downs\"><\/span>Ups and downs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Coal Creek mines were closed in 1960. Mining moved closer to the source of the river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the 1970s, Kaiser Resources opened huge open-pit mines there. It was necessary to fulfill new contracts for the supply of metallurgical coal. It was in huge demand in the Asian industrial market. People bought it to heat blast furnaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Profitable_business\"><\/span>Profitable business<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ivancouver.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2023\/02\/17085141\/image-7.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13478\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.ivancouver.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2023\/02\/17085141\/image-7.png 800w, https:\/\/cdn.ivancouver.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2023\/02\/17085141\/image-7-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.ivancouver.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2023\/02\/17085141\/image-7-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.ivancouver.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2023\/02\/17085141\/image-7-696x392.png 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Around the same period, Fernie became an important residential base for miners. The local mines brought in a lot of income. Hundreds of cars filled to the brim with coal left the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dangerous_phenomenon\"><\/span>Dangerous phenomenon<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is important to note that avalanches are quite common in the Fernie area. They often happen in the Flathead Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This fact poses a great danger to both tourists and the local residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thus, two avalanches caused the death of eleven snowmobilers on December 28, 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Photo source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wikipedia.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wikipedia<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s impossible to disagree that the history of cities in British Columbia is quite interesting and full of various events. Fernie is one of the province&#8217;s cities. It was founded in 1898. Interestingly, its population increases significantly in the winter. This is one of the most distinctive features of this city. Such a seasonal phenomenon [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":322,"featured_media":13482,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4818],"tags":[7271,7262,7261,7264,7263,7267,7259,7270,7268,7265,7258,7266,7260,7269],"motype":[4825],"moformat":[],"moimportance":[],"class_list":["post-14667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cultural","tag-bc-mining-town-history","tag-coal-mining-industry-fernie","tag-fernie-cultural-evolution","tag-fernie-disasters-timeline","tag-fernie-economic-booms","tag-fernie-fire-of-1908","tag-fernie-mining-heritage","tag-fernie-mountain-town-charm","tag-fernie-tourism-development","tag-ghost-town-revival-fernie","tag-historical-fernie-landmarks","tag-history-of-fernie-bc","tag-resilience-of-fernie-community","tag-ups-and-downs-of-fernie","motype-eternal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14667","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/322"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14667"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14667\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14668,"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14667\/revisions\/14668"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14667"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=14667"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=14667"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivancouver.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=14667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}