I opened the blinds this morning to beautiful clear sky...it was going to be a hot day. We had our usual leisurely start to the day...enjoying our coffee while watching the BCTV morning news.
After breakfast and showers...ahh...it’s great to have full hook-ups again...we were ready to head over to visit Fort Steele Heritage Town http://www.fortsteele.ca/ . The Visitor Reception Centre (pictured on the right) is a replica of the Fort Steel Brewery, a prosperous business that opened in 1898.
We arrived just in time to join the 11:00 Gossip Tour...which is a fellow in period costume taking you on a walking tour to various places and telling a story about the people who owned the business...or lived in the house...etc.
Our first stop was at the Government Building...built in 1887, it contained the office of the Gold Commissioner, Government agent, Mining Recorder, Judge of the Court of Revision and Appeals, District Registrar, and other administrative officials, as well as the courtroom...
Barr & Comb's Blacksmith Shop...and...Jack Corrigan's Harness Shop...
The Windsor Hotel--this was the best known hotel and one of the largest operating in Fort Steele. Originally built in 1893-94 and then expanded in 1897, it had 27 furnished rooms, a dining room a bar, and a card room and hall...
Galbraith's Ferry Office--John Galbraith, one of the many prospectors heading for the gold rush at Wild Horse Creek, constructed this building 1864. Rather than mining however, Galbraith hastily began a ferry service to frieght supplies for the miners using the Walla Walla Trail on the other side of the Kootenay River...
Inside the building...
The Kootenay River down below...
Nugget Norm's Gold Panning Co...
The International Hotel Restaurant is a reconstruction of the original Interntional Hotel that was built on the same site during Fort Steele's boom of 1897...
City Bakery...This building was built in 1992 to replicate the original City Bakery which sits right beside it. The Bakery houses a wood-fired brick oven measuring 15 ft by 15 ft by 8 ft and was patterned after one which has been in operatin in Ontario since 1883. The oven is regularly used to bake the goods sold in the Bakery...
Coventry Opera House/Masonic North Star Lodge No. 30...Completed in 1897, it served as the region's main social and entertainment centre. On the first floor events such as dances, dinners, concerts, and plays took place. The lodge upstairs remained active until 1944, long after Fort Steele's decline, and had many members who played important roles in the region's development...
Here are pictures taken from the balcony up top...this one has the wagon ride...
After the tour, we continued on our own...lots to see...and lot of pictures!
Unfortunately, I can not remember the name of this residence...but it had this young lady volunteering in period costume...she even served us freshly squeezed lemonade...
I believe this is the Lambi House...it is used today as the centre of domestic demontrations including baking, cooking, quilting, gardening...
This lovely lady was just leaving the residence...she noticed that I seemed to have lost my long skirt and that my ankles were showing...she said they are looking for can-can dancers and suggested I audition...you just have to be able to touch your head with your leg...yeah, right....
An old time "school-bus"...
Very cool old carriages...
Just going for a ride...
This is a replica of the original water tower built by the Fort Steele Water Works Co. Ltd. in 1897...
You can climb up inside to the top where there are great views...
This picture (taken from the water tower) is the North West Mounted Police Kootenay Post...
Carlin & Durick General Store / Mrs. Sprague's Dressmaking...like today's department store, it contained everything from clothing, shoes, mining supplies, general hardware, food, firearms, ammunition, medicines, tabacco, and jewelry...(all displays are protected by wire or plexiglass)...
Kershaw & Son General Store...
Wasa Hotel / Museum / Art at the Fort...this building is a replica of the Wasa Hotel which once stood in the community of Wasa, just north of Fort Steele...it is now full of informative displays of the history and heritage of Fort Steele, the surrounding region, and the people who lived here...
Wild Horse Theatre...it is not a reconstruction of an actual East Kootenaty theatre but was built in 1972 to present turn-of-the-century entertainment--it is the home of live vaudeville stage shows during the summer season...
The Pioneer Tinshop...is actually a movie-set prop built during the filming of "The Snow Queen" on location at Fort Steele Heritage Town. The building was left to Fort Steele once filming was completed and has remained a workshop for the tinsmith ever since...
In the following picture...on the left is Perry Creek Water Wheel--it was originally located 25 miles west of Fort Steele and was used between 1934 and 1936 to turn a turbine which powered water pumps in the Perry Creek Gold Mine...on the right is McVittie House and in the distance is Taenhauser House--restoration of these houses is a long term project...
The Stables...
To the North West Mounted Police Kootenay Post now...
The barracks (for the Constables)...
Now to the Officer's Barracks...
There was a lot to see...and consequently a lot of walking!! We didn’t get home until 3:00...4 hours of walking...the only break we head was the wagon ride we took...which really was a waste of $5 each...but oh well... Unfortunately, the train is closed down for 2 days for maintenance so we will have to come back tomorrow to see it and go for a ride.
Once back at the trailer, we immediately turned on the air conditioning...first time we’ve had it on this summer...actually, I don’t think we have used it since down on the Mojave Desert last March.
We spent the next hour lazing in our lounge chairs in the shade with a bottle of water. I tried to do a little reading while Steve went out to take some pictures of the horses and donkeys...but I gave up on that and just closed my eyes for a while....
The rest of the evening went pretty much as usual...dinner...a little TV...and bedtime. Mind you, we did go for a walk around the campground after dinner. We stopped at the office and Steve asked if they allowed RV washing at the sites...no problem...so guess what we will be doing tomorrow morning before it gets too hot out.
After breakfast and showers...ahh...it’s great to have full hook-ups again...we were ready to head over to visit Fort Steele Heritage Town http://www.fortsteele.ca/ . The Visitor Reception Centre (pictured on the right) is a replica of the Fort Steel Brewery, a prosperous business that opened in 1898. 
Our first stop was at the Government Building...built in 1887, it contained the office of the Gold Commissioner, Government agent, Mining Recorder, Judge of the Court of Revision and Appeals, District Registrar, and other administrative officials, as well as the courtroom...
We spent the next hour lazing in our lounge chairs in the shade with a bottle of water. I tried to do a little reading while Steve went out to take some pictures of the horses and donkeys...but I gave up on that and just closed my eyes for a while....
The rest of the evening went pretty much as usual...dinner...a little TV...and bedtime. Mind you, we did go for a walk around the campground after dinner. We stopped at the office and Steve asked if they allowed RV washing at the sites...no problem...so guess what we will be doing tomorrow morning before it gets too hot out.
Dianne and Steve, My name is Henry Hamilton and I was the resident lead Blacksmith at Fort Steele during the 2011-2012 years. I am writing a book and wondering if I can use some of your pictures?
ReplyDeletehttps://steveanddiannesmostexcellentadventure.blogspot.com/2011/08/wednesday-august-3-2011-fort-steele.html
Yes, go right ahead. Thanks for asking.
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