Upon touring the town of Fernie one will find that each and every church of any age in the town was built between 1908 and 1910. This was not a coincidence. On August 1, 1908 Fernie suffered a
devastating fire which burned the entire town, save for the present town hall, the Western Canada Wholesale warehouse and the Catholic priest’s residence (all concrete structures which managed to withstand the blaze). 100 businesses, 700 residences and all the churches and public buildings burned to the ground. Beginning almost immediately the Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Salvation Army and Lutheran congregations began to rebuild. All their buildings were of brick and/or stone, at least in part because immediately following the fire the town passed an ordinance requiring all buildings in a ten block area to be built of fireproof material.
Bearing a cornerstone lightly etched with the date 1910, Trinity Lutheran remains in use today. On the second side of the cornerstone was etched what was likely the church's name, but whatever was there has since been scratched out, save for the word "CHURCH". Trinity Lutheran is a member church of the
EK Lutheran Parish, which has churches in Fernie, Cranbrook, Elkford, Kimberley and Invermere.
A somewhat utilitarian building, Trinity Lutheran was built of dark red brick on a tall concrete basement, the parging etched to create the appearance of stone. A rectangle under a gable roof, the building has a chancel at the rear and a simple brick steeple occupying the northeast corner. Gothic Revival windows adorn the sanctuary sides and front, while blocked in Gothic openings with keystones appear on the two exposed sides of the steeple. Atop the steeple is a low pitched hipped roof. Brick pilasters down each side separate the sanctuary into several bays, with a window in each. Centered in the front is a small narthex with a very low pitched gable roof.
Given that Fernie's lifeblood is, and always has been, coal mining, it has attracted many immigrants from European countries where mining has been carried on for centuries. Some of these countries, such as Germany and the Scandinavian countries, were the homes of many Lutherans, explaining the continuing existence of Trinity Lutheran in Fernie.
We notice that worship time is 1:30 PM. A late time such as this usually indicates a shared pastor, doing at least two services per day.