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Fort Steele Heritage Town

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Fort Steele Heritage Town - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Wed - Sun 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
• (0.10 mi) Fort Steele Resort and RV Park
• (6.34 mi) St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino
• (1.55 mi) Fort Steele Campground
• (9.28 mi) Days Inn & Conference Centre By Wyndham Cranbrook
• (8.98 mi) Best Western Cranbrook Hotel
• (8.79 mi) Allegra Restaurant
• (9.87 mi) The Heid Out Restaurant and Brewhouse
• (9.79 mi) Sakura Sushi & Grill
• (9.02 mi) Hot Shots Cafe
• (9.44 mi) Perry's Pizza and Grill

Announcing the 2024 Summer Season! It's "Back to 1898!" 

Summer 2024 Season Public Visitor Hours  

June 15, 2024 to September 8, 2024

9.30am to 4pm daily     Monday through Sunday

[email protected]

Closed to the public until JUNE 15, 2024, while we welcome our popular school education heritage program participants - See you in May & June!

Plan Your Visit

Hours & adm issions.

WINTER (Until May 1) :

HOURS:10am - 3pm W edn esdays - Sundays

CLOSED Mondays & Tuesdays

During  our Winter Season, admissions are by donation. O ur Museum, Café and Gift Shop remain open from Wednesdays through Sundays 10am - 3pm.  Buildings are tucked in for the colder months and while you can still walk around site, you will not have access to  building  interiors.  Keep an eye on our events page for upcoming winter activities! We also plan to offer sleigh rides and an outdoor skating rink, weather dependent. 

Our spring and summer hours and admissions will go into effect May 1st.

Winter Season ADMISSION is by donation!

SPRING (May 1 - July 1 ):

HOURS: 10am - 3pm Wednesdays - Sundays

In spring, our heritage buildings are open to explore, and livestock available for viewing. Our VRC and gift shop is open.

ADMISSIONS:

Adults (18+) $15

Youth (6-17) $10

Seniors (65+) $10

5 & under FREE

Family Pass (2 adults + 2 youth) $50

SUMMER (July 1 - September 4th)

HOURS : 9am - 4pm

In summer, we are open 7 days a week! Visit the bakery and candy shop and enjoy wagon rides (weather dependent)! Please note, however, Mondays and Tuesdays are our "quiet days" with limited shops and activities available.

Adults (18+) $25

Youth (6-17) $20

Seniors (65+) $20

Family Pass (2 adults + 2 youth) $80

STEELE of a DEAL Passes (Available July & August Only)

This one day pass includes:

• Admission to park

• unlimited train & wagon rides (subsequent rides are based on seating availability)

Adult (18+) $45

Youth (6-17) $35

Senior (65+) $35

Family ( 2 adults + 2 youth): $150

AUTUMN (September 5 - October 11th)

In autumn, our heritage buildings are open to explore, and livestock available for viewing. Our VRC and gift shop is open.

Adults (18+) $10

Youth (6-17) $7

Seniors (65+) $7

Family Pass (2 adults + 2 youth) $30

*We get many people who want to come after hours, we do request that you come back during visiting hours.  

What will i be able to do

A visit to the site will include a walk through town site. There are plenty of animals to visit, and a few that really miss and love the public attention! The Museum in the Wasa hotel is open year round, as well as the Visitor Reception Center featuring the Gift shop and Cafe.   Keep an eye on our events page for upcoming winter activities! We also plan to offer sleigh rides and an outdoor skating rink, weather dependent. 

t rain schedule:

The train is down for the winter season. We usually aim to have the train running for Father's Day, and then regularly for the summer season as of July 1st. It is our steam train's 100th birthday in 2023, so stay tuned for some celebrations!  

The train can also be booked for private events and weddings! Please contact [email protected] for inquiries. 

*Train tickets are not included with the price of admission. You may ride the train  without   entering  the park if you would only like to experience the train.

Season's passes for the upcoming year are available at the Visitor Reception Center.

se asons passes

Regular Season's Pass benefits include:

• Unlimited regular General Admission for an entire year. (excluding special events)

• 50% off Admission for accompanying friends and family.

•15% off retail products and food services (excluding alcohol).

• Special Pricing for Select Special Events

Gold Seasons Pass benefits include all of the above as well as:

• Unlimited regular Wagon Rides, and Steam Train Rides

• 50% off “Steele of a Deal” Admission for accompanying friends and family.

Add up all the benefits, weigh the experience, enjoyment and knowledge gained over a year and you’d have to agree, a seasons pass represents great value. Obtaining a Seasons Pass is easy. Fill out the registration form at the Visitor Reception Desk, or you can also purchase a Seasons Pass over the phone with a credit card.

* Please note that fees for pay-per-experience attractions, concerts and special events are not included.

For more information on current pricing, call 250-417-6000 or email [email protected]

Fort Fred Steele

Michael Trevis

Michael has a BA in History & American Studies and an MSc in American History from the University of Edinburgh. He comes from a proud military family and has spent most of his career as an educator in the Middle East and Asia. His passion is travel, and he seizes any opportunity to share his experiences in the most immersive way possible, whether at sea or on the land.

Fort Fred Steele contributed to national history in the areas of United States Military and Indian affairs, transcontinental transportation and communication, and its history also relates to the cattlemen's frontier and settlement.

Original military structures at Fort Steele include a commanding officer's quarters, two large warehouses, a powder magazine and a number of smaller structures. Foundations exist in many places where buildings once stood.

Fort Fred Steele, established on June 30, 1868, was one of three military forts built along the Union Pacific Railroad to provide protection for the line, its builders, and the communities that later developed along its course. To a lesser degree, the fort provided protection to "trail" travelers in the area and partially filled a void north of the Platte River created by the abandonment of the Powder River forts in 1868.

During the last "Indian Wars" on the Northern Plains, Fort Steele was utilized as a support and supply base for troops in the field. Throughout its existence, the fort exerted a stabilizing influence in the surrounding vicinity and served as an important rail point for shipping and receiving.

Fort Steele continued to grow into an impressive permanent post through the 1870s, and was an economic asset to the area. Peace and progress continued around Fort Steele during the early 1880s.

Considered no longer necessary to military objectives, the post was abandoned August 7, 1886. After abandonment by the military, the fort developed into a community along the route of transcontinental travel.

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Fort steele heritage town tours.

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Visit Fort Steele Heritage Town

Fort Steele is a carefully preserved mining village in the heart of the Kootenay Rocky Mountains. While only small, there are enough attractions within this enclosed national heritage site to keep you entertained all day.

Formerly only known to the local Ktunaxa First Nation people, the region was put on the map once and for all by the 1860s gold rush at nearby Wild Horse Creek. First known as Galbraith’s Ferry, the settlement was renamed after a superintendent from the North West Mounted Police, who was lauded after settling a bloody land ownership dispute.

Dedicated locals stopped Fort Steele from becoming a ghost town by asking British Columbia to declare it a heritage site. The result is a town that oozes charm and history, drawing tens of thousands of visitors to Fort Steele each year.

Enter the old school house, explore the Masonic lodge, pan for gold, admire the blacksmith’s and tin shops, look at the merchandise in one of the old general stores and visit the bakery. Head upstairs in the old Wasa Hotel and Museum to browse the regional art gallery.

Live shows and fun tours are held daily in summer. See a reenactment by the Wildhorse Theatre to experience the thrills of the gold rush days.Take the kids along for a Livestock Tour to encounter and feed real farm animals or enjoy cheeky encounters during the village’s “Gossip Tour.”

Take a 20-minute steam train ride, leaving daily from the Fort Steele Station in summer. The train stops halfway at an elevated platform for panoramic views of Fort Steele and the St. Mary and Kootenay rivers below.

Fort Steele is about 4 hours by car from Nelson, Spokane and Calgary. There is a fluctuating admission fee, which peaks in July and August and is voluntary in winter. Children of 5 years and under enter for free and family discount passes are available too. You can also get a “Steele of a Deal” day pass that includes all the rides and summer shows. For catering, there is a café, bakery with traditional wood oven, hotel restaurant and ice cream parlor.

Plan a trip to see Fort Steele Heritage Town

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Fort Steele Heritage Town

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Fort Steele Heritage Town - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go - Visiting Tips (2024)

• Wed - Sun 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• (0.17 km) Fort Steele Resort and RV Park
• (10.14 km) St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino
• (2.47 km) Fort Steele Campground
• (14.85 km) Days Inn & Conference Centre By Wyndham Cranbrook
• (14.37 km) Best Western Cranbrook Hotel
• (14.06 km) Allegra Restaurant
• (15.80 km) The Heid Out Restaurant and Brewhouse
• (15.67 km) Sakura Sushi & Grill
• (14.44 km) Hot Shots Cafe
• (15.11 km) Perry's Pizza and Grill

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Fort Steele Heritage Town

Welcome to Fort Steele Heritage Town where history comes alive! 2024 season :  May 1 to October 11; (winter season admission is by donation).

The origins of Fort Steele can be traced back to the small settlement of Galbraith Ferry born during the 1864 Kootenay Gold Rush. Today, over 60 restored or reconstructed homes and buildings are waiting to take visitors back to yesteryear.

Treat yourself to the experience of life in Fort Steele and it’s guaranteed that part of your memory will remain here forever.

Take in the scheduled street dramas and gossip tours that happen around the site, bringing both the seamy and delightful facts of the town’s history to life before your eyes! Visit with townsfolk, blacksmith, leather worker, tinsmith and heritage animals for a glimpse into the past.

The only vehicles you’ll have to watch out for here are the horse drawn wagons that circle the town giving narrated tours. Parents can relax and enjoy a fresh baked cinnamon bun from the Bakery while kids play across the street in the schoolyard swing set.

Stay a while and take in entertainment. Stroll the many gardens beautifying Fort Steele and reflecting the importance of homegrown food. A variety of heritage plants are grown which were commonly found in family gardens prior to modern conveniences such as grocery stores.

Fort Steele Heritage Town offers many grade school programs and group activities which are delivered by trained and costumed interpreters. All of these programs are designed to fit with specific curriculum components and have a recommended grade level.

Details can be viewed on their website, as well as updated upcoming events and seasonal hours.

Enter an era when time moved more slowly, when life appeared simpler and when the decorative arts were present in everything from the cast iron range to the designer wallpaper.

Visitor Facilities: Free parking. Wheelchair accessible washrooms. Visitor information. Gifts available in multiple shops. Food Services. Free WiFi.

Contact Information

9851 Hwy 93/95

FORT STEELE, BC

1-250-417-6000

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FortSteele.ca

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Accessibility Details

Service Dogs

• Staff have been trained on guide and service dog policies

High Speed Internet Service

• Business has high-speed internet service available for video application use

Overall Space

• Staff are trained to use alternative communication tools such as Apps or text messaging
• Designated accessible parking near an accessible entrance that is specifically marked

Activities & Transportation

• Key activities are accessible to guests using mobility devices
• Accessible spaces have clear views of the main activity (i.e. stage, viewing area)
• Pathways are hard packed surfaces with a maximum slope 5%
• Entrance has no steps or if there are one or more steps, there is non-slip ramp with a maximum of 5% slope
• Entry route has a door that is at minimum 815 mm wide

Restroom in Public Area

• Can be reached without going up or down stairs, has a main entrance and/or stall that is a minimum 815 mm wide and has an outward swing door

Food Services

• Accessible path of travel and accessible style tables/booths

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Fort Steele Heritage Town

Fort Steele, during the 1864 Kootenay gold rush was called Galbraith’s Ferry, but twenty-four years later it was renamed in honor of Sam Steele of the Northwest Mounted Police, who had become a hero by peacefully settling tensions between white settlers and the local Ktunaxa people.

See our events calendar to find out what’s happening at Fort Steele.

Once a thriving mining town, Fort Steele became almost a ghost town after the BC Southern Railway bypassed the town in favor of Cranbrook. Today it is a heritage town, preserved as a reminder of how the west was settled. Located an easy 16 km (10 miles) northeast of Cranbrook on Highway 93/95, the town draws thousands of visitors annually, eager to travel back in time to the late 1800’s and experience a taste of life in those days long gone.

What’s to see and do

In the summer months Fort Steele comes alive. Musical comedy and variety shows in the Wild Horse Theatre, tours around the town in a horse-drawn wagon, and rides on a steam train with its 90+-year-old engine, are favorite attractions. You can watch a blacksmith at work in the forge or pan for gold! In H. Kershaw & Son General Store, find replicas of everything you would have needed to buy if you lived back then. Satisfy your sweet tooth at the City Bakery and enjoy a cool cone on a hot summer’s day at the Ice Cream Corner. At Mrs. Sprague’s Confectionery, you can find old-fashioned taffy, candy sticks and real maple sugar.

Special events take place each year at Fort Steele, such as the annual Easter egg hunt, Mothers Day and Fathers Day, Thanksgiving dinner, a huge old-fashioned Canada Day celebration, Wild West Wednesdays, Saturday nights on the town, gold panning days, and the annual harvest festival in late August.

A truly old-fashioned Thanksgiving feast is also a favorite, with folks returning year after year. These and so many more exciting things to do and see make Fort Steele a definite must-visit on your trip to the East Kootenay.

Fort Steele Heritage Town | Fort Steele BC

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We visited Fort Steele on Canada day 2008 and found it a great place. We enjoyed ourselves immensely. probably i most enjoyed my trip on the footplate of the engine driven by Deborah. We loved Canada and its people. We come from Te puke New Zealand. ~

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Top Tours in Fort Steele, Canada

Fort steele tours.

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• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. River Valley Ranch

Travel Back in Time at Fort Steele Heritage Town

Family outing or romantic adventure, Fort Steele Heritage Town is one stop you can’t miss on your BC road trip. Travel back in time and experience pioneer life in the 1890s. Stimulate all your senses with authentic tastes, beautiful sounds, rugged and classic sights, all in a spectacular setting.

Make sure you grab a map at the entrance, where you’ll receive a warm welcome from costumed characters. Fort Steele Heritage Town will give you a taste of what life was like back in the boomtown era and here is a little glimpse into what you can expect, as if you were a settler yourself.

As a settler, you crossed the Kootenay River, paying quite the price for a seat on the ferry. In the beginning, the town was known as Galbraith’s Ferry, after the entrepreneur John Galbraith.

You had heard about this beautiful place, with the giant mountains that jetted up into the sky with such majesty—where Wild Horse Creek flowed from the peaks, hiding gold in its sediments. The gold-panning days in Fisherville were over, but the stories made this place seem so dreamy.

You arrived and bought some land, and eventually built your house. You had family who lived in the next town over, but by the time your letters ever got to them, the news was three weeks old. You quickly learned that building friendships with the other locals was important.

As you settled into your new life, you spent a good deal of time in the shops. When you needed nails for your house, you stopped in to talk to the blacksmith. When Christmas came around and it was time to decorate the tree, you bought some ornaments from the tinsmith. The barber took care of the hairs on your head, and you purchased bathing time at the bathhouse. Sometimes all you could afford was third-use bath water, but it was better than nothing.

The bakery, owned by the only female business person, was your favourite. It felt like home. The smell of cinnamon buns and fresh-baked bread filled the air. It was baked in the brick oven, which took three weeks to heat at the end of the winter.

When you needed clothes or a new hat, the dressmaker met all your needs. When a tooth started to ache, Painless Dentistry took it out for you—and it really was painless!

After a few years of your wonderful new life, there was a dispute with the local aboriginal peoples, the Ktunaxa. Sam Steele, the superintendent, led negotiations and solved the dispute. Galbraith’s Ferry was officially renamed Fort Steele, after the town’s hero, although the town was never actually fortified.

Unfortunately, in 1898, the Canadian Pacific Railway, which was being built through the Crowsnest Pass, bypassed Fort Steele. It ran instead through Cranbrook down the road, establishing Cranbrook as a major stop for businessmen, settlers, and government officials. Fort Steele’s population plateaued and soon plummeted as newcomers searched for places that were more accessible. Life was never the same and in 1961 the town was declared a historic park.

Today Fort Steele it is one of the most important heritage sites in British Columbia, with over 80,000 visitors each year. The park has many original buildings, with others brought in from nearby towns. There are many authentic craftspeople to see in action, like bakers, blacksmiths, quilters, tinsmiths, tailors, and gold-panners.

You can pet historic breeds of animals like Clydesdale horses, Muscovy ducks, and Blue Slate turkeys. And you will not want to leave without tasting Fort Steele’s new Brookie (brownie-cookie) or original cinnamon ice cream—people come from all over just for that.

Fort Steele made ZenSeekers top four ways to get “Crafty in Cranbrook”, discover them all here .

Note: Historical facts and stories are either referenced from Fortsteele.ca, noted from a previous tour, or are common knowledge. Special thanks to Trevor at Fort Steele Heritage Town for leading our media tour.

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Exploring fort steele heritage town, bc.

The National Historic Site of Fort Steele Heritage Town was our main focus for Day 30 of the trip – Monday, May 23rd – and we only drove 123 km (76 mi) to Sparwood following that visit.

We spent over 4 very enjoyable hours at Fort Steele, and this is a very long post, with 51 photos.

We actually began our exploration of Fort Steele Sunday evening, by taking the 10-minute walk to the Fort Steele cemetery (during a brief break in the rain) from the Fort Steele Resort and RV Park where we camped. Cemeteries can often tell a lot about a community.

The only early headstones we found were those of members of the North West Mounted Police. In 1887, during construction of Kootenay Post, 4 members died of typhoid fever, and their deaths are all marked by this single headstone. They were Cst. Henry Owen Lasmby (died Sept. 22, 22 years old), Cst. James Mason (died Oct. 20, 24 years old), Cst. Abraham Warner Fisher (died Oct. 25, 27 years old), and Cst. Herbert Mitchell (died Dec. 16, 23 years old). A large red granite hadstone marks the death of Cpl. Duncan Roderick MacNair, who shot himself while delirious from fever at nearby Wardner, on April 27th, 1898 – he was 23 years old.

A few other early graves offered the potential for information, but we could see no markers.

A very large number of graves are simply marked “Unknown”. My guess is that the records have been lost or destroyed, perhaps in a 1906 fire that destroyed much of Fort Steele’s remaining commercial district.

While our search for early information at the cemetery wasn’t very productive, the police memorials offer a glimpse at how hard life was, and some of the newer graves have wonderfully creative folk art as part of the memorial, a hint about some of the people who live in the area now.

Cuddling with Dad while he writes is the favoured spot of the kids in the morning, but on Monday morning, Bella wanted the chair instead of being at my feet, and forced me off the seat! Well yes, of course I could have kicked one of them off, but they looked so sweet… 🙂

The continuing rain dampened our spirits a bit, but we had packed up and were at the historic site half an hour after its 09:00 opening. I had made a brief visit to the site in about 1970, and this was Cathy’s first visit.

The railway part of the site, the first part you come to as you drive in off Highway 93/95, doesn’t open until the Father’s Day weekend – Saturday, June 18 this year – but it looked like they have some very interesting equipment, such as this underground coal-mining locomotive, powered by compressed air, and some of the cars it pulled.

The entrance to the town is through a building modelled after the Fort Steele Brewery which once stood across the river in Westport.

For $1, a copy of “The Boom and Bust of Fort Steele” was a great deal. I actually didn’t use it during our visit as interpretive signs (and interpreters) are plentiful, but it’s sure handy to put together this post.

Kootenay Post was established by North West Mounted Police (NWMP) Superintendent Samuel B. “Sam” Steele in the summer of 1887 as the first North West Mounted Police post west of the Rockies. Steele and 75 men were sent to the area to resolve a dispute between the local Ktunaxa tribe and European settlers, and the fort was strategically located on a bluff overlooking the Kootenay River. It was, however, not on this site but on the opposite side of the highway – the Officers’ Quarters building was moved here in 1964, and the other are replicas.

The “bastion” seen in this photo is a replica of a water tower that was built during Fort Steele’s heyday in 1897 – it held 17,000 gallons of water, but the replica is a viewing tower.

This is the Officers’ Quarters, the only building with the original logs.

This is what Sam Steele’s room would have looked like in 1887-88. The buildings were constructed of yellow pine – about 1,400 logs were cut and hauled – with saddle-notched corners, floored with common lumber, roofed with shakes, and chinked with mud and grass.

A school group had slept overnight on straw mattresses in the barracks, and it was fun to see them all in period costumes around the post.

Climbing the water tower gives a good view of Kootenay Post…

… and some of the downtown area.

In 1970, several Clydesdale draft horses were transferred to Fort Steele from the Oakalla prison where they’d been used in a rehabilitation program. The horses and now one of the most popular attractions at Fort Steele – they’re used mostly for hauling visitors around the site in a wagon.

Geary & Doyle’s Livery Stable, dating to about 1900, was one of several at Fort Steele. There were originally corrals, a bunkhouse, and after 1907, George Geary’s house. Like many others, this stable was eventually converted into a garage for automobiles.

We spent some time talking to the leatherworker/interpreter at Jack Corrigan’s Harness Shop, and it was interesting to see some of the tools used. Everybody on site is an employee of the park – there used to be some contractors (such as the photo parlour), but everybody works directly for the park now.

Many items are made at Fort Steele, from bread to knives and wool slippers, and sales of them help support the park.

Blacksmiths always intrigue me, and we spent some time watching and talking to the metal-artist at Bar & Comb’s Blacksmith Shop, one of several that were in the community.

A recent creation of the current blacksmith was this unique knife.

The 27-room Windsor Hotel was built as the Dalgardno Hotel over the winter of 1893-94, and was re-named the Windsor in 1899. It was one of 7 hotels during the boom years, and originally had a 40×60-foot annex which has been demolished.

Baby slippers and wool from the town’s sheep.

The Carlin & Durick General Store is packed with period items of every sort, as it would have been when it was in operation. In 1898, the town newspaper, The Prospector , said that it was “one of the most prominent and successful business enterprises in the interior of British Columbia”. One of the signs talks about their efforts to encourage “conspicuous consumption” of their goods.

The variety of goods in the store can keep some visitors browsing the shelves for quite a while.

Some of the canned goods available at the store.

The Government Building was built in 1897 to house the courthouse and jail as well as the offices of the Gold Commissioner, Mining Recorder, Registrar, and the officials.

Going right back to Fort Steele’s beginning, John Galbraith built this little office/residence for his ferry operation across the Kootenay River in 1864, for people heading to the goldfields of Wild Horse Creek. The little community that grew up around it became known as Galbraith’s Ferry, and in 1888, it was renamed Fort Steele.

Early dentist’s offices had some similarities to torture chambers according to some reports 🙂 The machine on the left was a foot-powered drill. This “dental foot engine” was invented in 1871, apparently inspired by Singer’s sewing machines.

Show globes were used from the 17th Century until the 1950s to show that a store was a pharmacy. In the 1950s, the mortar and pestle took over their role.

I love old printing presses, and the offices of The Prospector newspaper have some beauties. The newspaper was started by journalist A. B. Grace in 1895.

The City Bakery had been our goal for a mid-tour treat of coffee and a pastry. The original bakery was beyond restoration, and this is a reproduction.

The cinnamon buns that came out of these ovens shortly before we arrived were delicious, and we also bought a loaf of sourdough wheat bread ($2.50 for a day-old one – it made fabulous grilled cheese sandwiches in the motorhome after the tour).

The schoolhouse doesn’t look very different than the 2-room, 8-grade one I went to starting in 1956, but it’s a whole new world from my grand-daughters’ high school whose Open House Cathy and I went to when we reached Airdrie. Over 70 students were crammed into this room at times, and the teacher, Miss Adelaide Bailey, made $70 per month. Built in 1898, this was the town’s second schoolhouse.

The McVittie House and land surveying office, built by Thomas Thane McVittie, is particularly interesting because much of the restoration work has done and/or paid for by volunteer surveyors, and the work is of a notably high quality. A very difficult series of moves brought the fragile buildings across the highway to the main townsite in 1994. The restored buildings were just opened in July 2015.

Mr. McVittie extensively rebuilt and enlarged his cabin in anticipation of his 1899 marriage, and the drawing room is a good indication of his status in the community.

McVittie’s office is well equipped with the tools of the trade, such as the pantograph on the table at left front. It was used to replicate maps and other drawings, and could even enlarge or reduce the original.

The Perry Creek water wheel was originally located about 25 miles west of Fort Steele, where it was used to pump water from mine tunnels up to 150 feet deep. Built in 1934, it is 32 feet in diameter, 7 feet wide, and could produce 68 horsepower to drive 2 pumps. The water pumped from the tunnels was used to wash the gold-bearing gravels brought up from. The wheel was successful, but the mine only operated for another 2 years.

A pair of Clydesdales take visitors past the assay office, schoolhouse, and St. Anthony’s Catholic church.

The Presbyterian church was built in 1898 – prior to that time, services were held in the schoolhouse or opera house.

As well as sheep and the Clydesdales, there is other livestock such as this impressive turkey, who was strutting his stuff for a hen who was pretending to not be interested.

I didn’t know that Canada has a National Poultry Breed. This is the Chantecler chicken, created in Quebec in 1919 by monk M. Wilfred Chatelaine. Intended as a “dual-purpose” bird (good eggs and meat) that is resistant to cold, the breed was officially recognized in 1921.

The Opera House Coventry was built in 1897 – probably the most famous entertainer to perform here was Pauline Johnson. The upper floor of the building was used by the Freemasons, and the Kootenay Club, a fashionable men’s club.

While over 60 buildings have been restored at Fort Steele, a handful are beyond restoration and are being left to deteriorate, including Johnson’s Blacksmith Shop.

The lower floor of the reproduced Wasa Hotel is the main museum on the site. The upper floor apparently continues the story in more detail, but wasn’t open during our visit.

The vicarage for St. John the Divine Anglican church is a lovely little Victorian cottage that was built over the winter of 1898-99 after the arrival of the Reverend Charles A. Procunier.

This Federal truck, among other trucks including REO, Fagel, White, Leyland, etc., was used to haul logs in the 1920s.

It’s believed that this beautifully-crafted log home was built on spec by Nils Hanson during the 1897-1900 building boom. In June 1897, the newspaper reported that 40 buildings were under construction, and that number could be tripled if enough lumber were available. Scandinavians were well known for their skill with log buildings, and the quality of the construction of this home contrasts sharply with other log buildings including those in the NWMP post.

A look at Highway 93/95 crossing the Kootenay River, seen from the Fort Steele townsite. We finished our look at Fort Steele at about 3:00, and after a late lunch – grilled cheese sandwiches made from the sourdough wheat bread we bought at the Fort Steele Bakery – we crossed that bridge en route to Sparwood at about 4:00 pm.

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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. Wikimedia.

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

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

2 forte steele is a gold rush boom town founded by john galbraith, 3 it is a name originated from a dispute resolution between  the settlers and native ktunaxa people, 4 its declared a national heritage site by  the province of british columbia, 5 it is open to the public offering limited  steam locomotive heritage rides.

A steam Engine Train Photo by Richard. Wikimedia.

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

7 forte steele is the most attractive kids centre, 8 forte steele  has an operational windsor hotel and other golf courses.

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

9 Fort Steele Heritage Town offers 14-grade school programs

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-Fernández. Unspash.com

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• Aug 3, 2023
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From Gold Rush to Van Life: Discovering Fort Steele, British Columbia

Welcome back to another chapter of my 2023 Summer Van Life Road Trip. I hope you've been enjoying the ride so far because today, we're diving back into the picturesque Kootenays to unravel the secrets of Jimsmith Lake Provincial Park and the captivating Fort Steele. For those new to the blog, I'm a retired solo female traveller who is currently on a grand road trip in my beloved converted Sprinter cargo van, named Wanda, around the stunning Canadian province of British Columbia.

So far I've meandered from my home in the suburbs of Vancouver to the serene shores of Okanagan Lake Provincial Park and have embraced the rugged beauty of Christina Lake . I've sipped wines at Columbia Gardens Winery , and discovered lesser-known gems like Salmo and Lockhart Beach Provincial Park - it's been one epic journey through British Columbia's untamed wilderness

And that's not all! I've even soaked in the soothing Nakusp Hot Springs and roamed the grandeur of Yoho and Banff National Parks before making a pit stop at my sister's horse ranch near Calgary. Quite the adventure, wouldn't you say?

But today, I'm whisking you back to the Kootenays - a region that holds a special place in my heart. Wildfires have been a big problem this summer in Western Canada. A windshift caused the smoke from nearby fires to blanket most of western Alberta and eastern BC as I left the Calgary area. As an asthmatic, I have more difficulty with poor air quality than most, so I changed my plans to wander slowly south and drove until I found an area where the skies were more clear, which is how I found myself at Jimsmith Lake Provincial Park, close to the historic North West Mounted Police (NWMP) Fort Steele.

There are HUGE mountains behind that haze. The picture could have been spectacular!

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Ready to embark on this adventure with me? Well then, let's hit the road and dive headfirst into the wonders that await in the Kootenays!

Van Life: The Long Drive

As mentioned previously, I was driving in search of clear skies but it seemed to be a lost cause. Thunderstorms in the last few days had set off several new fires. The mountains were virtually hidden behind the haze of smoke. I could smell and taste the smoke. At several points along the road, fire fighting helicopters were seen doing their circuits.

I had been hoping to stay at several of the small towns and places of interest along the route but the smoke didn't lift. As I was driving, I was thinking of alternative routings that wouldn't take me too far away so I could circle back in a day or two when the winds shifted to give clear skies.

I did make one brief stop at the Continental Divide as I was leaving Banff National Park. This is the geographic point where the water basins split the direction of drainage. All water to the west of this point drains into the Pacific Ocean, while all water to the east drains into the Atlantic Ocean. It is also the dividing line between Alberta's Banff and BC's Kootenay National Parks.

By the time I had reached Cranbrook, the smoke was still in the air but wasn't filling the valleys and if I drove much further, it wouldn't have made any sense to circle back to my original route (not that circling back makes a lot of sense in the first place!). I checked my various apps and saw that Jimsmith Lake Provincial Park was a short distance away, so that's where I set the GPS to lead me.

Jimsmith Lake Provincial Park

Jimsmith Lake Provincial Park covers an area of approximately 64 hectares (158 acres), and it is dominated by the stunning Jimsmith Lake itself. The glacial-fed lake reflects the peaks and trees that surround it. The waters are calm which allows for swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and fishing. There is also a good network of well-maintained trails.

Location 🏕️ 🏕️ 🏕️ 🏕️

The park is located approximately 35 kilometres (22 miles) northeast of Cranbrook and about 21 kilometres (13 miles) south of Fort Steele Historic Site. It is a seasonal campground that closes during the winter season.

Amenities 🏕️ 🏕️ 🏕️ This is a typical basic provincial park with the cleanest pit toilets I have ever encountered. Potable water is available. There is adequate cell service. The day use area is currently under construction. There is a small jetty/dock in the swimming area perfect for lazing upon or for jumping off into the lake. The lake temperature is on the colder side.

Campsites 🏕️ 🏕️ 🏕 🏕️

There are 35 sites, a few large enough to hold bigger rigs. The sites are generally flat and impeccably clean. Each site includes a picnic table and a fire pit, although a province-wide campfire ban is in place. There is plenty of privacy between sites. The sites are a reasonable size and Wanda and I had plenty of room. Most sites had a good balance of shade and sun.

Nearby Activities/Services 🏕️ 🏕️

There isn't a town or community within walking distance. Fort Steele is about 10 minutes drive from the campground.

Noise levels 🏕️ 🏕️ 🏕️ 🏕️ 🏕️

This was a pretty quiet campground. Noise during the day was minimal and it was very quiet overnight.

Aesthetics 🏕️ 🏕️ 🏕️

The park is naturally attractive and the camp hosts keep it incredibly well-kept and clean.

Fort Steele: A Glimpse into the Past

Nearby Fort Steele played a pivotal role in the tumultuous history of the Canadian West, beginning during the Kootenay Gold Rush of the late 1880s.

First Nations Traditional Lands

Long before white settlers arrived in the Kootenays, the Ktunaxa people enjoyed this area without interference. This was one of the farming and vacation spots where the Ktunaxa people lived during different times of the year.

When settlers arrived and started to make land purchases and put up fencing, tensions in this area then known as Joseph's Prairie began to rise between the Ktunaxa and the settlers. In 1864, John Galbraith was one of the first gold prospectors to arrive but soon switched to more lucrative business opportunities, running a toll ferry across the Kootenay River. John also established a general store. John had an agreement with Chief Joseph that allowed the use of the land as needed. When Galbraith sold the property, the new owner refused to honour the agreement. The native village was burned three times and the Ktunaxa believed that the settlers were attempting to force them out.

In 1884 two miners were found dead at Deadman’s Creek and two local Ktunaxa men were arrested. Colonel Sam Steele of the North West Mounted Police and his troupe were called in from Alberta to manage the growing discontent.

No actual fort existed when Steele arrived, but the police compound, erected that year, had the appearance of a fort, because of the few windows. In 1888, the community adopted the rename of Fort Steele.

Sir Samuel Benfield Steele, born in Ontario in 1848, is a legend in Canadian history. Steele, a member of the North-West Mounted Police (later to become the Northwest Mounted Police, the precursor to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) was ordered to establish a police presence to maintain law and order during the Gold Rush. He was recognized as a disciplined but fair and likeable leader and earned the respect of the prospectors, settlers, and Ktunaxa.

image courtesy of Canadian Dictionary of Biograhies

Two stories from Steele's time at Fort Steele stand out as testaments to his bravery and resourcefulness. In one instance, when the Ktunaxa threatened violence, Steele chose a diplomatic approach instead of military force. He engaged in talks with the leaders, diffusing tensions, and ultimately averting a potentially disastrous conflict.

In another notable event, a fugitive who had committed a heinous crime sought refuge in Fort Steele, claiming to be the victim of a misunderstanding. Steele, known for his sense of justice, thoroughly investigated the case and eventually discovered the truth. By demonstrating fairness and dedication to upholding the law, Steele earned the trust and respect of the local communities.

As the Gold Rush waned, so did Fort Steele's prominence, and by the early 1900s, the town's population declined significantly. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) played a crucial role in the decline, as it made the controversial decision to bypass Fort Steele in favour of establishing the nearby (and much less populated) town of Cranbrook as a railway hub. The CPR's decision sparked scandal and controversy, as some suspected political maneuvering and corruption played a part in the choice.

Despite the CPR's decision, Fort Steele managed to preserve some of its heritage and historic buildings. In the 1960s, the provincial government designated the site as a historic park, and it was subsequently restored to become the living museum we can visit today.

Touring Fort Steele: What You Need to Know

I love a living museum and heritage village and have visited many fur-trading forts, gold towns, and settler villages across this country. This was my first visit to a NWMP fort but the heritage village part was a fairly typical living museum experience.

For those who may be unfamiliar with living museums, these tend to be a mixture of original and reconstructed buildings and structures which have been restored and decorated with items from the times and then arranged along streets as it might have been. Employees and volunteers act as costumed interpreters who use in-character conversations demonstration to bring the story of the past to life in a way that just can't be understood from history books.

The Fort Steele Heritage Site includes the original NWMP buildings but those are now surrounded by over 60 other restored and reconstructed buildings and structures that represent a typical town of the 1890s era.

The town includes all the types of businesses and services as well as homes common to the era. There are shops for general goods, clothing, hardware items, mining supplies and food. Services included blacksmiths, assay and customs houses. There are numerous hotels, restaurants, churches and barbers. The village is organized in a big square with the Wasa Hotel Museum in the center of a large grassy field and the original NWMP buildings off to the side, closest to the Visitor Center.

I really enjoy looking at the homes. Fort Steele had a good assortment of homes that ranged from rustic miner's shacks to the homes of the wealthier residents. The information available in the homes made each an interesting peek into the lives of the residents.

I always enjoy the gardens behind the homes where residents would grow fruits, berries, vegetables and herbs. Fort Steele does a remarkable job keeping these gardens bountiful.

I was intrigued by the dilapidated structures around the town. Signs explained their original purpose but since the buildings were considered beyond restoration, they are being allowed to deteriorate naturally.

Make sure to check out the barn and Livery Stables. There are a lot of farm animals throughout the town.

The train station is located outside of the main area, next to the field where the Clydesdale horses are pastured. Even if you choose not to add the train fare to your ticket, make sure to walk over and see the horses and the station.

Hours of Operation: Fort Steele closes over winter but is open from late spring to early fall. The site is experiencing staff shortages this summer season 2023 and do not open all the exhibits on Mondays and Tuesdays. There is still plenty to see and do but be prepared to miss a few things on those days. Hours of operation are 10:00 - 16:00 every day.

Admission Costs : A basic adult entrance giving access to all the exhibits will cost $25 with additional costs for wagon and rides as well as some additional performances and activities. The costs can add up but the money goes to cover their expenses, animal care and maintenance.

Guided Tours and Interpretive Programs : For an even richer experience, I highly recommend taking advantage of the guided tours and interpretive programs offered at Fort Steele. Knowledgeable interpreters, dressed in period attire, lead visitors through the town, providing fascinating insights and engaging stories that bring history to life. These tours offer an intimate look at the daily life of the pioneers and the significant events that shaped the town.

There is excellent signage all over the town, so those who forego the walking tour will still learn much about Fort Steele and the people who lived there. I used to teach about Sam Steele and the NWMP and knew the facts and didn't feel the need to take a walking tour. I did listen in several times as we crossed paths and the story-telling was lively, entertaining and full of great information.

I do recommend starting your day by taking the wagon ride around town, if the additional fee is in your budget. It's a fun trip around the town. The guide and driver talk about the town, the horses and the stagecoach routes, providing a good overview before making your own explorations.

Hands-On Activities: Fort Steele offers visitors the chance to participate in hands-on activities, where you can try your hand at traditional crafts and skills from gold panning to candle making. The school teacher showed the children how to play a game with a stick and a hoop which they rolled along the boardwalk. There were always people at the gold-panning area.

Throughout the season, Fort Steele hosts various special events and festivals, from heritage celebrations to live performances, these events transport you further back in time and offer a truly immersive experience. Keep an eye on the events calendar to plan your visit around these happenings. This is also a popular wedding venue, as I discovered during my visit.

Food and Drink: There are several restaurants, cafés, bakeries and a sweets shop to find treats and refreshments. There are designated picnic areas where you can savour your meal while soaking in the breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. Additionally, the site is equipped with restroom facilities and drinking water stations for your convenience.

I enjoyed a gooey-sweet warm cinnamon bun and a mug of coffee at City Bakery.

Take a Ride on the Steam Train

A highlight for me was taking a circuit on the steam train that leaves from the station opposite the visitor center and circles the property. This summer (2023) marks the 100th anniversary of the #1077 steam locomotive used at the Fort.

This particular engine is one of the steam engines that were first used by logging companies to move products around. Since they were forestry companies, it made sense to the company to use wood as an inexpensive fuel. Unfortunately, the embers that were emitted were also responsible for starting forest fires (seems kind of silly that wasn't considered). It didn't take long for the companies to realize that they needed a fuel that did not produce sparks. At that point, the engines were converted to burn oil.

The train has 3 open carriages and one enclosed carriage. The conductor and drivers provided excellent narration about the fort and the train. The train stops at a viewpoint over the river and releases excess steam in a powerful display.

When the train is at the station, the drivers will encourage visitors to climb into the cab and are delighted to describe all the gauges and levers to the curious.

Fort Steele Accommodations

For those wanting to stay closer to Fort Steele, there are various accommodations available to suit different preferences and budgets. Whether you're looking for a cozy retreat, a rustic experience, or a luxurious stay, the area has something to offer. BnBs, motels, hotels, cabin rentals, guest ranches and resorts are all available. Some of the choices in the area include:

Fort Steele Resort & RV Park : This resort is right across the street from the Fort. It has a variety of sites for RVs, tents, and cabin rentals. This would be my choice for a future visit.

St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino : A former residential school, this golf resort has luxurious rooms, a casino, and various dining options. It's located about 15 minutes away from Fort Steele.

Elizabeth Lake Lodge : Situated in nearby Cranbrook, Elizabeth Lake Lodge offers comfortable rooms and suites with beautiful lake views. It's a tranquil retreat not too far from Fort Steele.

The Windsor Hotel: Right in the heritage village is the Windsor Hotel which has just opened up for guests for the first time in nearly 70 years. I think this would be great fun. I would really enjoy experiencing the town after hours.

Final Thoughts

As my Summer Van Life Road Trip through the breathtaking landscapes of British Columbia continues, I can't help but feel grateful for the incredible experiences I've had so far. From the tranquil shores of Okanagan Lake to the historic charm of Fort Steele, each destination has left an indelible mark on my heart.

Exploring the living museum of Fort Steele took me back in time, where the stories of Sam Steele and the pioneers came to life. I was very impressed with the quality of the exhibits and the dedication to preserving the site.

But the journey doesn't end here. There are still more hidden gems to discover, more trails to hike, and more stories to unravel. With Wanda as my companion, the open road continues to beckon me toward new adventures. So I hope you'll continue to join me on this exciting road trip. Your support and engagement have made this journey even more meaningful. Remember to subscribe and become a member of my blog to stay connected and receive updates on future adventures. You can also stay connected through my Facebook page , Facebook Group , Twitter , and Instagram , where I'll be sharing more snippets, photos, and stories from my ongoing road trip.

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15 comentários

Bugger you weren't so lucky this time with the weather, the nature pictures still look exquisite tho! It would be hard for me to venture back into civilisation when you have that level of natural beauty to explore. I can appreciate the history of the area but doubt it would engage me for long. I'm not so much into historic displays and role play but I can understand how well maintained the towns and sites are and it's reflective of the pride of the locals, too who cherish the traditions and customs of the Fort Steel heritage town.

Carolin | <a href=" https://solotravelstory.com/ ">Solo Travel Story</a>

I enjoy alternating between the stunning nature and the charming towns. I am fascinated by the crazy history of BC, especially the Gold Rush years. I console myself every time I move on by knowing I will be travelling the same road in the future.

What an intriguing post I love all of your personal experiences and tips! I'm sad that the wildfires are still burning and still an issue up there but I'm glad you're able to still explore and enjoy the area. Jimsmith Lake Provincial Park looks quite peaceful and serene - right up my alley for a great hike! A warm cinnamon bun is the perfect way to end/start/continue a day haha!

Living museums are usually so interesting, and I'm often impressed with the people who work there. It's nice to see that some of these old wooden structures have been left to deteriorate naturally. Too bad there you had to camp under smokey skies, but I guess this is our summer reality now, sadly.

Great post on another interesting adventure! Jimsmith Lake Provincial Park looks like a worthy place to dive into and explore. The map is a great way to visualise things and thanks also for pointing out accommodation options. I see that late spring to early fall is when Forte Steel is open and also the hours of peration is good to know. A guided tour here would be an enjoyable experience I think! And I certainly would love to get into a cab and see what it's like inside!

Looks like you and Wanda found the perfect camping spot. And what a nice find after trying to keep away from the smoke filled air, which has been pretty bad this summer. I really enjoyed learning about Sam Steele, sounds like he was an ask questions first kind of person which isn't always the case in history. Fort Steele reminds me a lot of Fort Langley but looks quite a bit bigger. I always enjoy looking around a living museum so this would suit me well

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Railfan & Railroad Photo Line

Locomotive 1077 has run at the Fort Steele Heritage Town near Cranbrook, B.C., since the 1990s. The locomotive celebrated its 100th birthday in 2023. Photo by Justin Franz. 

Photo Line: Steam at the Fort Steele Heritage Town

Story and Photos by Justin Franz 

The mountains of British Columbia might be an odd place to find a 2-6-2 steam locomotive, a class called “Prairie” because of the Midwestern granger roads that popularized them. (Chicago, Burlington & Quincy was the first to develop the type and had the largest fleet in the land.) But 2-6-2 1077, which was built by Montreal Locomotive Works in December 1923, has never known another landscape.

Since 1990, the MLW product has run at the Fort Steele Heritage Town, a museum about 15 minutes north of Cranbrook, built on the site of the first North-West Mounted Police outpost in British Columbia. The locomotive spent most of its life, however, about 400 miles west on Vancouver Island, where it worked for a number of logging companies, including MacMillan Bloedel and Victoria Lumber & Manufacturing. While the locomotive was built to burn wood, it did so for only about a year before being converted to oil; according to legend, the wood burner was sparking too many fires along the right-of-way. The locomotive worked well into the 1960s — one of the last steam locomotives to operate in regular service in British Columbia — before being purchased by the province in the early 1970s to lead its museum train, a duty it shared with ex-Canadian Pacific 2-8-0 3716 (best known as the backup locomotive to BC Rail’s “Royal Hudson” 2860; today, 3716 runs on Kettle Valley Railway). The hardworking, log-hauling 2-6-2 got a glow-up for its new duty, including a gold coat of arms where the number plate once was and a CP-inspired paint scheme with yellow lettering and yellow striping on the tender and cab. On the front end of the locomotive, it also got a nameplate that read British Columbia, leaving no doubt as to who owned it.

After leading the museum train, the locomotive was put into storage for a few years. In the 1980s, it was used (along with 3716) in the film “The Journey of Natty Gann.” Years later, it also made an appearance in 2000’s “Shanghai Noon.” In May 1986, the locomotive attended SteamExpo, part of Vancouver’s World’s Fair. The event brought together locomotives from all over the U.S. and Canada. In 1990, locomotive 1077 was sent to Fort Steele, where it became the third locomotive to run at the heritage town.

The Fort Steele site, located on the bluffs high above the Kootenay and St. Mary rivers, was designated a historic landmark in 1925 and turned into a museum with replica buildings in the 1960s. As part of that development, a 2.5-mile stretch of track was constructed with loops at either end — not unlike a dog bone track plan on a model railroad. The first steam locomotive to run there was an 0-4-4T built by North British Locomotive Company in 1895 for the third Duke of Sutherland, who had financed an extension of the Highland Railway in Scotland to serve one of his castles. The locomotive was named after his castle, Dunrobin . After British Railways revoked the Duke’s ability to have his own train in 1949, the locomotive and its cars were sold and eventually ended up in a private collection in Canada. The Dunrobin was put on display for a few years before being purchased by the provincial government. In 1968, it was restored to service and sent to Fort Steele to operate at the museum. In 1971, it was briefly reunited with royalty when Queen Elizabeth visited the museum. A few years after the British locomotive arrived at Fort Steele, it was joined by a three-truck Shay locomotive that, like 1077, spent much of its career on Vancouver Island.

Eventually, the English locomotive was sent home to Europe and mechanical issues sidelined the Shay, paving the way for the arrival of the small 2-6-2 locomotive to become the main power at Fort Steele. Besides the locomotives, the museum has a small fleet of rolling stock, some of which operate and some that are on display or awaiting repair. The fleet includes a former Canadian Pacific caboose (CP is the hometown road, after all); a snowplow; a coach from Morrissey, Fernie & Michel Railway (a short line in the area that served coal mines until the 1950s); and a British parlor car that had come over with the Dunrobin in the 1960s. The parlor car is used on the excursions when ridership warrants, along with two open-air cars made from old flatcars.

During the summer, usually from early July until mid-September, the museum offers excursions daily except when the locomotive is down for maintenance. The brief 30-minute trips depart at 11:00am, 12:00pm, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm. The excursions depart a small depot on the grounds and head through a forest to an overlook high above the Kootenay and St. Mary rivers where passengers can get off and take in the scenery (and possibly spy a freight train on nearby CP). After a few minutes, the passengers load back up and 1077 whistles off for the return trip. Train rides cost $20 Canadian for adults and $15 for children and seniors. Children under five ride for free. The ride is not included in admission to the general museum (in the summer that’s $25 for adults and $20 for kids and seniors) but it’s possible to just ride the train and not see the rest of the heritage town. For more information visit FortSteele.ca .

Steaming on a Saturday Morning

Fort Steele Heritage Town’s 2-6-2 simmers outside the shop on a warm and smoky July morning. The locomotive wears a numbering style inspired by the Canadian Pacific’s own steam-era practices.  

Fill ‘er Up

The Fort Steele Heritage Town crew puts oil in the tender of locomotive 1077 on the morning of July 15, 2023. Steam from the locomotive is used to pump the oil from the tank car back to the locomotive. 

Checking the Fire

Fireman Jeff Roshau checks the fire of locomotive 1077 at the Fort Steele Heritage Town. 

The Belly of the Beast

Locomotive 1077 simmers between runs at the Fort Steele Heritage Town. 

Selfies and Steam

Passengers snap selfies in front of locomotive 1077 before an excursion at the Fort Steele Heritage Town. 

Locomotive 1077 works up the surprisingly steep grade out of the station at Fort Steele on the first run if July 15, 2023. 

Want even more Canadian steam? Check out the April 2024 edition of Railfan & Railroad Magazine!

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