Clydesdales at work today

For many visitors the "Black Clydes" epitomize Fort Steele Heritage Town. Visitors watching the 6-horse hitch stepping out with their leg feathers flying, get an idea of the power that teamsters harnessed when freighting supplies into Fort Steele. A single Clyde walking an endless circle on the hay-baler on a summer afternoon, or children following a team behind a potato lifter at fall harvest, is a convincing demonstration that hard work was a part of everyday life for agricultural people, and that the work horse was a necessary part of every family unit. Those children fortunate enough to ride the hay wagon behind the Clydesdale, or to get a winter sleigh ride, are transported back in time to when their grandmothers and grandfathers used to go to dances "in the one-horse open sleigh."

Following the successes of the Clydesdale program, the site is now pursuing the introduction of other rare breeds that were a fact of everyday life in the 19th century. We recently obtained a small herd of Cotswold sheep, once one of the most common herding sheep and now a very rare breed. They are a large breed, averaging 100 to 135 kg, and are known for their long fleece of 25 to 32 cm. The breed was common in Britain in the 18th century and became the cornerstone of England's wool industry. First imported to North America in the early 1800's, they quickly became one of the main breeds on this continent. Victims of the industrial Revolution by the fact that their coat fibres were slightly too large for the new power looms, there are now less than 200 of these wonderful animals left in North America.
Our collection of 19th century fowl includes Barred Rocks, Partridge Rocks, Black Giants, Speckled Sussex, Columbian Rocks, and the fabulous White Crested Black Polish. The Polish are among the most beautiful of all poultry breeds with their large distinctive crests. They are of very ancient origin, occurring in many of the old Dutch masters' oil paintings. They are always a crowd-pleaser with their overflowing white-feathered topknots. We are presently searching for sources of 19th century turkeys, geese and rabbits.

Fort Steele's Heritage Fruit Trees (1998)

Our fledgling heritage fruits trees will eventually allow visitors to taste apples, plums, pears and cherries like none they have experienced. The old varieties grown here in the 1890's did not have to worry about visual commercial market appeal, withstanding long range shipping or size uniformity. They only had to taste deliciously and cook well. Taste and smell are part of how we bring history alive at Fort Steele Heritage Town.