Fürgangen, first mentioned in 1293 as "Wrgangen" or "Wurgangen", was once under the rule of the Counts of Blandrate. In 1444, Paul Bogner of Niederernen purchased these seigniorial rights and called himself the "Judge of Fürgangen". After 1595, this jurisdiction is said to have passed to the Schiner family. It is unknown when the "free court" of Fürgangen was merged with the Zendengericht (a regional court) of Goms. The hamlet of Fürgangen, which belonged to the parish of Ernen until 1963, was largely destroyed by fire on July 12, 1887. The fire consumed 18 rooftops, including two residential houses, and claimed one human life. The following year, the inn, along with its stable and barn, also burned down.

According to the municipal accounts, during the 1887 blaze in Fürgangen, the large "fire" in the throats of the firefighting crew was extinguished with "11 liters of white wine at 80 cents per liter; 11 liters at 1 franc, and 2.5 liters of brandy at 2 francs per liter; 3 liters of red wine at 1 franc," along with bread worth 10 francs to ease their hunger. Fire has always been a feared enemy in villages with closely built wooden houses. That is why, in keeping with old tradition, the feast day of St. Agatha (February 5) is still observed as a holiday, as decided by our ancestors at the municipal assembly on March 7, 1909.

The hamlet of Eggen, today the smallest of all, was still more significant around 1600 than Ried or Fürgangen. Today, four old houses remain there: the “Hüeberhüs” from the 16th century, the large double house at the top of the village from 1647/1723, the house next to the chapel dedicated to the Mother of God from 1756, and another old house from the 16th century, which was used as a barn for a long time and made habitable again in 1976. To the west of it, as indicated by the building site, there once stood another house. The old “Restihüs,” located below the large double house, was demolished in 1895. The cellar walls of a house that disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century can still be seen to the west, near the house beside the chapel, facing the Fieschertal. After the Second World War, the old bakehouse was also torn down.

The historic village center of Bellwald still bears witness to the traditional building culture of Valais. Narrow alleys, sun-darkened wooden houses, and well-preserved storehouses shape the village’s appearance and tell of a time when life was closely tied to nature and agriculture. Many of the buildings date back to the 17th and 18th centuries and give the village its distinctive character. In recent decades, the village center has been carefully preserved, although modern buildings in the surrounding area are increasingly affecting the overall harmony of the landscape.