Disaster at Coal Creek

There’s no denying that, after most of a lifetime of researching and writing about BC history, the fascinating, rich and tragic story of coal mining has become my favourite. 

And, because the Greater Nanaimo area, which was home to some of the Island’s greatest coal mines, is also in my backyard,, so to speak, that’s where I’ve focused my attention.

But, reading about history is all very well; being able to visit the actual sites, to scratch and to see, touch, and to cast the mind back to what once had been but is no longer—this is the ultimate thrill (for me) of history.

The Crowsnest Pass collieries have long intrigued me, but they’re a long way from home and, other than a single visit, I’ve confined myself to researching them in my armchair and online.

Ah, the stories from the Crowsnest! This week, the sad tale of the Coal Creek disaster in the BC Chronicles.

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PHOTO: “Fernie miners,” 190-. —BC Archives