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Top 10 Facts about Fort Steele

A few of the buildings that make up Fort Steele Heritage Park in British Columbia, Canada. Photo by Ken Thomas. .

It is a heritage town in Canada and it is located on a rocky mountain.
It started as a gold rush boom town.
Forte Steele was founded in 1864  by John Galbraith and was initially known as “Galbraith’s Ferry” town, named after the ferry set up by the city’s founder over the Kootenay River. It was later renamed in 1888 in honor of superintendent Samuel Steele of the Northwest mounted police after he resolved a murder dispute involving the resident and the settlers.
The site is one of the larger heritage town attractions in British Columbia.

1 It is located in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia

The town is located in the East Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada.
It is on Crowsnest Highway 93/95,10 miles northeast of Cranbrook, east of Kimberley.
It has a rich heritage and is situated on the banks of the Kootenay River and nestled in the picturesque setting of the Rocky Mountains.

2 Forte Steele is a Gold Rush boom town founded by John Galbraith

In 1864,John Galbraith founded Forte Steele which was a Gold Rush boom town and it was originally called鈥� Galbraith Ferry鈥�, named after the ferry he set at the Kootenay River.
Twenty- four years later it was renamed in honor of Sam Steele of Northwest Mounted Police, who had become a hero by peacefully settling tensions between white settlers and the local people.

3 It is a Name Originated From A Dispute Resolution Between  the Settlers and Native Ktunaxa People

The town before 1888 had several names including Kootenay Gold Rush and Galbraith Ferry however it was renamed Fort Steele after a legendary Canadian lawman Superintendent Sam Steele of the North-West Mounted Police solved a sensitive dispute between a settler who had unjustly accused one of the local First Nations men with murder.

This dispute had caused a great deal of tension between the town settlers and the native Ktunaxa people. Sam Steele, finding no real evidence against the accused natives, had the charges against them lifted.

Both the town and the First Nations people were so grateful that they renamed the town Fort Steele in honor of the superintendent.

4 Its declared a National Heritage Site By  the Province of British Columbia

The province of British Columbia declared Fort Steele a Historical park with a mandate to preserve and manage for the public benefit the historical settlement of the forte Steele in 1961.
It’s a living museum that brings our past back to life by offering activities that vary by season.
The town is full of restored and original buildings dating back to the 1890s and these historical buildings line the pedestrian boardwalk paths and gravel streets of the town.
There are over 60 different structures in fort Steele among them are Wild Horse Theatre, Post Office and a Railway Station.

5 It is Open to the Public Offering limited  Steam Locomotive Heritage Rides

A steam Engine Train Photo by Richard.

It offers many tourist attraction sites that operate under the auspices of the non-profit Friends of Fort Steele, such as horse-drawn carriage rides, blacksmithing demonstrations, ice cream making, gold panning, and leatherworking.
There are also several vintage buildings on site as wild horse Theatre, which plays every afternoon in summer.
It  still offers seasonal train 25 kilometer rides between June  to September  behind one of three preserved steam locomotives and of which two are still operational.

This ride gives tourist a feel of the steam engine locomotives and a view of the beautiful St Mary’s Valley.

6 Forte Steele is fully managed by The Friends of Fort Steele Society

In 1961, the province declared Forte Steele a Historical Park with a mandate to 鈥淧reserve, present, and manage for the public benefit of the historic settlement of forte Steele鈥�
In 1989, The Friends of Fort Steele Society , a nonprofitable organization, was established to manage Forte Steele Heritage Town on behalf of the province of British Columbia.
In 2004, the society took over full management of operations under a long-term contract with the province. They are striving to build a sustainable future for Fort Steele by continuing conservative initiatives, building community partnerships, and developing a sustainable funding model.

7 Forte Steele is the Most Attractive Kids Centre

The city has an outstanding  Bakery and Ice Cream corner that are most attractive to kids.

The baking is always fresh and sweet. It offers the best hard candy sticks, and the best  Canadian maple sugar available.

Kids may also enjoy viewing the White polish Barred Rock, Black Giants, and other 19th-century breeds of chicken that are kept on site.
They are also allowed to try out their fishing skills by fishing and eating the trout fish that swim in the outside moat.

8 Forte Steele  has an Operational Windsor Hotel and other Golf Courses

An Aerial Image of a  Golf Course Photo by Craig Hellier.

Windsor Hotel has been renovated back to its glory and has two suites and four rooms that are available for overnight accommodation.
It still stands in an original place and it鈥檚 one of the historical sites as well as the official heritage building.
It has been continually taken great care of to restore its historical accuracy.

There are several numbers of golf courses one can choose from in the neighboring communities including the delightful and challenging 9-hole executive par -4 will-0- Bend Golf and RV park, set in a peaceful country setting in Jaffray, and 4 courses in Cranbrook:
Cranbrook Golf Club is on 2nd street south way-Lyn Ranch Golf Course in the beautiful Saint Mary鈥檚 River Valley, the family-oriented executive par-3Mission Hills Golf Course on Theatre road.

9 Fort Steele Heritage Town offers 14-grade school programs

The education system at Fort Steel still offers 14-grade programs which are delivered by trained and costumed interpreters.
All these programs are designed to fit with specific curriculum components and have recommended grade levels.
An extensive interpretive area with aquaria, education models, and interactive displays is available for free self-guided tours every day between 8-4 pm.
Kids are allowed to play across the street in the schoolyard.

10 It Offers Heritage  Breeds of  Livestock that Intrigues Researchers and Tourist

A Mountain Sheep Folliaging on a Snow Slope. Photo by Daniel Lloyd Blunk-Fern谩ndez.

There are  White polish, Barred Rock, Black Giants, and other 19th-century breeds of chicken that are kept and taken care of on-site by the livestock department of Fort Steele Heritage Town.
Mountain sheep, elk, whitetail and mule deer, osprey, bald eagles, hawks, and blue heron are commonly seen in the area of the mountain
There is a livestock team that offers to learn about the history, and the future of the Okalla Prison Farm Horse Bloodline, and it is so exciting.
There is a Kootenay Trout hatchery that rears approximately 2 million trout, kokanee salmon, char, and white sturgeon annually and also provides research facilities for fisheries biologists.