Living and Breathing Fort Steele

Story by Brenna Baker Photos by Perry Mack

Fort Steele is an amazing piece of Canadian history that is just waiting for you to discover.

There’s no time like the present and no fun like the past!  Leap back into the 1890s and experience the vibrant restored pioneer boomtown of Fort Steele.  Rewind and get set to meet the same streets, lifestyles and excitement of over a century ago.  Fort Steele is a restored 1890's pioneer boomtown located in the southeast corner of BC. With over 60 heritage shops, display buildings, and diverse programming, it is a popular year round destination for our region. Featuring living history street dramas, the Wildhorse Theatre stage production, a steam railway, horse-drawn wagon rides, heritage trades including blacksmithing, tinsmithing, leather working and a heritage livestock program, educational programming, and domestic interpretation. The Curatorial artifact collection is estimated at over 40,000 pieces. In addition, we house and maintain a significant archival library that is a tremendous resource to Fort Steele staff and volunteers, students, historians and all the people of Canada and abroad.

While the site actively interprets the years 1890 to 1905, you will also find displays portraying the Kootenay Gold Rush of the 1860s along the Wild Horse Creek. Soon after the creek’s hillsides were stripped, the “tent town” of Fisherville grew in size with saloons, supply stores, and brothels. The Government of the Colony of British Columbia quickly determined that law and order could be maintained by a pack trail (later titled the Dewdney Trail) linking this eastern portion of the colony to its administrative centre on the west coast (New Westminster). To date, Fisherville has been preserved as a heritage site, and we encourage you to explore the terrain that lured so many prospectors into the area.

In the heritage site of Fort Steele you will also find displays portraying the period of unrest between the Ktunaxa Nation and Euro-Canadian settlers that brought Superintendent Samuel Steele and “D” Division of the North West Mounted Police to the district in 1887-1888. Where space permits, consideration is also given to the history of the East Kootenay region following the decline of Fort Steele.

Spend the day exploring or simply enjoy the views in a spectacular Kootenay Rockies Mountain setting.  Get ready to be educated and entertained all at once, and to explore yesterday’s adventures today.  Fort Steele is open year-round, with programming in effect May-October. Our full summer program is presented from June 15 – Labour Day.   We have wonderful dining facilities on site including the International Restaurant and the City Bakery that are open from May until October.  During the winter months you can enjoy a delicious home cooked lunch at Johnny on the Spot.  Weather permitting we have a skating rink and sleigh rides during the winter. 

Hours of Operation

Spring Season – May 1st- June 15th

9:30am-5:00pm daily

Summer Season – June 15th – September 2nd

9:00am-7pm daily 

Fall Season – September 2nd – October 7th

9:30am-5:00pm daily

Winter Season – October 7th – May 1st

10:00am-4:00pm daily

Fort Steele looks forward to welcoming you!

See our website for details and a schedule of events.

250-417-6000 | www. fortsteele.ca