Once know as Galbraith's Ferry. John Galbraith had the foresight to get permission from the colonial Government to run a ferry across the Kootenay River. This service much used by the miners and pack trains headed up the wild horse in route to Fisherville gold rush camp"mid 1860's".
John Galbraith's store-ferry office is preserved in Fort Steele park today.
Fort Steele really came to it's own as a shipping and supply center for the big local mines, like the Great, Sullivan mine in Kimberly. Stern-wheelers came up river to pick up the rich ore sacks.
When the Canadian Pacific Railway came, the railway called the shots and would not pay the price asked for town land. Upstart Cranbrook won out and Fort Steele was left behind.
The bypassing of Fort Steele was in hindsight a good thing for the ghost town hunters and history buffs, as it saved this delightful destination for us to visit.
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