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The Fernie District
Historical Society was founded in 1964 and is dedicated to preserving and
presenting the history of Fernie by collecting and displaying
photographs, artifacts and documents relating to Fernie's development.
Homeless for the first 15 years, the Society struck an agreement with
the Holy Family Church to use the vacant rectory behind the Church as a
museum site. Displays in the museum were designed to showcase life in
Fernie in the early part of the twentieth century.
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The former Catholic
rectory that served as Fernie's
Museum for twenty years. FDHS Collection |
On August 4, 1979,
coinciding with Fernie's Diamond Jubilee, the museum was officially
opened. The rectory served as Fernie's museum for twenty years until 1999
when the Church realized that it would soon need the property for
its own purposes. The artifacts and exhibits are now in storage until a new home is
found.
Though homeless, the
Historical Society has "brought the museum to the people" by placing a
series of satellite exhibits in local businesses and public places
around Fernie. As part of the Society's Heritage Walking Tour, these
exhibits highlight the exciting and colourful history of the region. In
most cases the themes of the exhibits complement the locations. For
example, the exhibit "Trial by Fire" is located in the Fernie Heritage
Library, a building gutted in the 1908 fire.
As well as reminding
locals of our heritage and history, it is hoped that these displays will
encourage visitors to stay a bit longer and to learn a bit more about
the Elk Valley.
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