Fair Valley (ghost town)

Sam Steele was a renownded Northwest Mounted Policeman, who, when during Winnipeg(a)s labour riots of 1919, the people stopped their aroused anger to honour this man during his funeral. Sam was born at Purbrook in 1848. Purbrook became Fair Valley.

He went into the military and was trained at Toronto Royal MIlitary Academy. He served with the NWMP from 1873 and was involved out west with the 1885 Riel Rebellion, the last spike and gold rushes. He later went to South Africa to train horsemen for the Boer War. For all his efforts he was knighted in England.

His father, also a military man, was granted free land at Purbrook where he built a beautiful home and took up farming. He was a major player in the opening of Ontario.

Fair Valley got its name in 1880 with the post office opening. It changed names to avoid confusion with another postal village of the same name in Parry Sound. By 1880 it had a population of 50, a store, St George(a)s Church (1884), a school (1890(a)s).

The Steele home was demolished in the early 1900(a)s. Luckily it was painted by 13 yr old Eleanora Hallen, the daughter of the reverand at St. George(a)s. She died at age 23. She and the Steele(a)s are all buried here. The church still performs services.