The Fernie Curse and the Ghost Rider Legend
A local legend says that William Fernie , on one of his prospecting trips , noticed Ktunaxa Chief ’ s daughter wearing a necklace of shining black stones . Knowing that these stones were coal , he asked about their source . The Chief agreed to show Fernie the location of the coal on the condition that he marries his daughter . After learning the location of the coal deposits , Fernie backed out of the deal . Angered by this the Chief cast a curse on the valley — it would suffer from fire , flood and famine .
Though the city did suffer from horrific fires , mining disasters and flooding there is no evidence of the story ’ s veracity . But many look to Mount Hosmer on summer evenings , where a shadow of the daughter standing beside the chief on his horse serves as evidence of some mystic curse .
The roots of the Ghost Rider story may be found in the Ktunaxa tradition of avoiding the Elk Valley and considering it a “ bad place .” Early Ktunaxa legends told of a Squirrel and his wife who controlled the entrances to the Elk Valley , letting trails become overgrown and impassable .
Another source for the legend may be gleaned from a 1908 newspaper article :
“ We have been requested to say that William Fernie denies the little after dinner stunt about him and the Indian maiden . We are glad Mr . Fernie does deny it for the future safety of our city .”
Did the story develop from a joke among the City fathers ?
No matter the source , the curse seemed real enough that on August 15 , 1964 , at the City ’ s request , members of the Ktunaxa Nation , headed by Chief Ambrose Gravelle , assembled in Fernie for a ceremonial lifting of the Fernie curse .
Fernie is now a prosperous and vibrant community that values its connection to the Ktunaxa Nation .
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