Introduction

Early Mining Communities

• Technology and Transportation
• Coal Companies
• Health & Environment

Why Some Communities Declined

Hosmer

Technology and Location

• Michel-Natal

Why Others Have Endured

Fernie: The Centre of the East Kootenays

• Administration
• Business
• Technology in the Form of Transportation

Administration

Fernie was the administrative centre for the Crowsnest Pass Coal Company and the location of their impressive head office.

The Coal Company operated three mines within the valley: Coal Creek, Morrissey and Michel and chose Fernie as its central location. This was a definite benefit to the community. If the company decided to close down one of its operations, it would still need a central office to administer the other two.

Having the Coal Company’s head office in Fernie added to both its economic and social growth. An upper class of managers, superintendents, investors and business men joined the lower and middle class laborers who settled in Fernie.

"Offices of the Crow's Nest Pass Coal Co."
Courtesy of FDHS

Unlike most company owned towns, Fernie was incorporated as a city in 1904 when the company turned the town site over to the public.

When incorporated, a mayor and city council were elected. Fernie was still heavily dependent on miners' wages, but was not administered by the Coal Company and therefore not as dependant upon its success.

Having a city council who was in charge of the townsite allowed residents to have control over their own land and housing. This was to the advantage of all who resided in Fernie as services such as the power, telephone, water and sewer were not all provided by the Coal Company. Now, if the company were to go under, the residents of Fernie would at the very least not be left homeless and without power as were the townspeople of Hosmer.^11,12

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