Moyie Walkabout Tour
1. Moyie Community Hall
(Site of Moyie School)
School began in Moyie in 1898, held in makeshift
classrooms, until 1901 when a new two-room school
was constructed on this site. The building was
demolished in 1967 and replaced with a brand-new
"Atco" double-wide trailer. By 1985 there were just
eight students (Kindergarten to Grade 4) and
despite local protests, the school was closed.
Now the building is home to Moyie Community
Association and Reading Centre.
2. Laird House
This house was built c.1910 by WH Laird. WHL arrived
in Moyie in 1897, first working in the sawmill at the
Narrows, then at the St Eugene Mine. In 1920 he
joined the BC Provincial Police, and the family left
Moyie in 1922 when WHL was transferred to Yahk.
The house changed hands many times over the years,
but title to the John D mining claim and other Moyie
property remained in the Laird family for many years.
3. High House
6. First Moyie Catholic Church
This old structure originally
stood high on St Eugene
Street overlooking the town.
For many years it was the
much-loved summer home of
the Pearce family of Bolton,
Ontario. In 1993 Dr Elizabeth
Pearce and her family gave the property to Moyie
Community Association. The building was moved to a
more accessible location on Moyie Avenue in 1997, the
new site being more suitable for its reincarnation as a
museum. High House Museum opened its doors in the
summer of 2004.
The first Roman
Catholic church
in Moyie, barely
recognizable after
years of renovations
and layers of paint,
is now a private
residence.
7. Lakeview Tourist Camp
High House Museum and St Peter’s
Church are generally open Sundays
from 1:00 to 3:00 pm during the summer.
For tours at other times, send us an
4. St Peter’s Church
The church was built in
1904 by Fr Coccola OMI
from his share of the
proceeds from the sale of
the St Eugene and Peter
claims. Through the efforts
of Moyie "Friends of the
Church" and the Catholic
Diocese of Nelson, St
Peter's was restored inside and out in time for the
town's centennial celebrations in 1993.
5. R.A. Smith House
This was the home of Robert
and Regina Smith early in
the century. RAS was a
leading Moyie businessman,
shoemaker, general store
proprietor and, for over fifty years, postmaster. He was
one of only a few early residents who lived out his life
in Moyie.
Moyie businessman R.A. Smith built Lakeview Tourist
Camp in the '20s. The cabins boasted indoor plumbing
and electricity and were quite deluxe for the times.
Operated by various owners as a tourist facility for
nearly fifty years, the property was subdivided in the
early '70s and all but a couple of cabins demolished.
The main house is a private residence today.
8. Moyie Firehall
Moyie's firehall was officially
opened September 20, 1907.
In 1909 the hose-drying
tower and bell were added.
The tower was rebuilt in
later years after a truck
came careening around the
corner and knocked it off its
moorings. The bell has been
stolen twice since 1973;
fortunately, it was recovered
each time and returned to
its place in the tower.
11. Site of Kootenay Hotel
9. Site of Central Hotel
Moyie Walkabout
A glimpse
of our heritage
Built and operated by Victor Desaulniers, the Central
Hotel was once an imposing structure on the corner of
Victoria and Queens. It was destroyed by fire in 1931.
10. Lakeview Hotel
Originally a dry
goods store
(c.1926), this
building later
became the Lakeview Hotel. It was in business for
nearly fifty years before it changed to pub status in
the mid '70s. Now Kokanee Cove Neighbourood Pub,
this popular spot is known for its congenial atmosphere and excellent fish and chips.
When the Kootenay Hotel was built in 1898 by the
McMahon brothers (Patrick, Frank and John) it was one
of the most elaborate in the East Kootenay. In 1902,
Frank McMahon married Stella Maud Soper of Kimberley
in Moyie's first Catholic church. Their sons Frank, George
and John (all born in Moyie) became wealthy Canadian
industrialists in the petroleum/pipeline industry. The
hotel, sold to McTavish and Cameron in 1909, was torn
down in the '20s. Moyie Motors was the next building on
the site, changing ownership many times over the years.
In 1977 new owners established a successful antique
business on the premises. Upon their retirement they
transformed the old building into a private residence.
12. Conrad House
This house, built by
Phil Conrad who
arrived in Moyie with
his family in 1897, is
the oldest of the original homes in the town. It is still
owned by family members and has become a vacation
home for generations of Conrads.
13. Society Girl Service
Tools and equipment used for mining, farming and
outdoor activities can be viewed in the outdoor display
area at High House Museum.
Published by:
MOYIE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
PO Box 133, Moyie, BC V0B 2A0
First Printing 1993; Revised 2004, 2012
General Store.
Braiden's Garage was purchased by
William and Rachel Redford in 1947.
They called their new business Society
Girl Service and Cafe after the mine
above the St Eugene. Rachel, widowed
in 1956, ran the shop alone until 1972.
Subsequent owners closed the café
and added the post office and liquor
outlet under the new name of Moyie
Victoria Street
Discovery of a rich galena deposit in 1893, and the
resulting St. Eugene Mine, brought the first settlers
to this area. The developing mine influenced the
expansion of Consolidated Mining and Smelting Co.
Ltd. (later Cominco and now Teck) and the Crow's
Nest Pass Railway.
As you stand in the middle of the village today,
there is little to remind you that Moyie City once
had a population of about 1,500, seven hotels,
three churches, and businesses lining both sides
of Victoria Street (Hwy 3/95). A few houses, the
firehall, St Peter's Church, the tailings pile, and
the crumbling foundations of the old concentrator
are all that remain of Moyie in its heyday.
We hope you will enjoy a moment back in time
as you follow our walking tour of the village. Most
buildings and sites are identified by numbered
shields corresponding to those on this map.
- Please respect the privacy of occupants -
Moyie Community Association