SAULT HISTORICAL SITES

SAULT S MARIE, MI

Foss Street Hill, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States Looking downhill. 

"Sault Ste. Marie (/ˌsuː seɪnt məˈriː/ SOO-seint-ma-REE) is the only city in, and county seat of, Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. With a population of 14,144 at the 2010 census, it is the second-most populated city in the Upper Peninsula after Marquette. It is the central city of the Sault Ste. Marie, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Chippewa County and had a population of 38,520 at the 2010 census.

Sault Ste. Marie was settled as early as 1668, which makes it Michigan's oldest city and among the oldest cities in the United States. Located at the northeastern edge of the Upper Peninsula, it is separated by the St. Marys River from the much-larger city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The two are connected by the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, which represents the northern terminus of Interstate 75. This portion of the river also contains the Soo Locks, as well as a swinging railroad bridge. The city is also home to Lake Superior State University.

For centuries Ojibwe (Chippewa) Native Americans had lived in the area, which they referred to as Baawitigong ("at the cascading rapids"), after the rapids of St. Marys River. French colonists renamed the region Saulteaux ("rapids" in French).

In 1668, French missionaries Claude Dablon and Jacques Marquette founded a Jesuit mission at this site. Sault Ste. Marie developed as the fourth-oldest European city in the United States west of the Appalachian Mountains, and the oldest permanent settlement in contemporary Michigan state. On June 4, 1671, Simon-François Daumont de Saint-Lusson, a colonial agent, was dispatched from Quebec to the distant tribes, proposing a congress of Indian nations at the Falls of St. Mary between Lake Huron and Lake Superior. Trader Nicolas Perrot helped attract the principal chiefs, and representatives of 14 Indigenous nations were invited for the elaborate ceremony. The French officials proclaimed France's appropriation of the immense territory surrounding Lake Superior in the name of King Louis XIV.

In the 18th century, the settlement became an important center of the fur trade, when it was a post for the British-owned North West Company, based in Montreal. The fur trader John Johnston, a Scots-Irish immigrant from Belfast, was considered the first European settler in 1790. He married a high-ranking Ojibwe woman named Ozhaguscodaywayquay, the daughter of a prominent chief, Waubojeeg. She also became known as Susan Johnston. Their marriage was one of many alliances in the northern areas between high-ranking European traders and Ojibwe. The family was prominent among Native Americans, First Nations, and Europeans from both Canada and the United States. They had eight children who learned fluent Ojibwe, English and French. The Johnstons entertained a variety of trappers, explorers, traders, and government officials, especially during the years before the War of 1812 between Britain and the United States.

For more than 140 years, the settlement was a single community under French colonial, and later, British colonial rule. After the War of 1812, a US–UK Joint Boundary Commission finally fixed the border in 1817 between the Michigan Territory of the US and the British Province of Upper Canada to follow the river in this area. Whereas traders had formerly moved freely through the whole area, the United States forbade Canadian traders from operating in the United States, which reduced their trade and disrupted the area's economy. The American and Canadian communities of Sault Ste. Marie were each incorporated as independent municipalities toward the end of the 19th century.

As a result of the fur trade, the settlement attracted Ojibwe and Ottawa, Métis, and ethnic Europeans of various nationalities. It was a two-tiered society, with fur traders (who had capital) and their families and upper-class Ojibwe in the upper echelon. In the aftermath of the War of 1812, however, the community's society changed markedly.

The U.S. built Fort Brady near the settlement, introducing new troops and settlers, mostly Anglo-American. The UK and the US settled on a new northern boundary in 1817, dividing the US and Canada along St. Mary's River. The US prohibited British fur traders from operating in the United States. After completion of the Erie Canal in New York State in 1825 (expanded in 1832), the number of settlers migrating to Ohio and Michigan increased dramatically from New York and New England, bringing with them the Yankee culture of the Northern Tier. Their numbers overwhelmed the cosmopolitan culture of the earlier settlers. They practiced more discrimination against Native Americans and Métis.

The falls proved a choke point for shipping between the Great Lakes. Early ships traveling to and from Lake Superior were portaged around the rapids[8] in a lengthy process (much like moving a house) that could take weeks. Later, only the cargoes were unloaded, hauled around the rapids, and then loaded onto other ships waiting below the rapids. The first American lock, the State Lock, was built in 1855; it was instrumental in improving shipping. The lock has been expanded and improved over the years.

In 1900, Northwestern Leather Company opened a tannery in Sault Ste. Marie. The tannery was founded to process leather for the upper parts of shoes, which was finer than that for soles. After the factory closed in 1958, the property was sold to Filborn Limestone, a subsidiary of Algoma Steel Corporation.

In March 1938 during the Great Depression, Sophia Nolte Pullar bequeathed $70,000 for construction of the Pullar Community Building, which opened in 1939. This building held an indoor ice rink composed of artificial ice, then a revolutionary concept. The ice rink is still owned by the city." - info from Wikipedia. 

Now on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/billyd.wilson/" rel="noreferrer nofollow">Instagram</a>.

Become a patron to my photography on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/billywilson" rel="noreferrer nofollow">Patreon</a> or <a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=E74U8G8TZKYDJ" rel="noreferrer nofollow">donate</a>.
Foss Street Hill, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, United States Credit: Billy Wilson Photography

Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan is home to many historical sites showcasing its storied past.

The Museum Ship Valley Camp is located in the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site. This museum ship is a retired Great Lakes bulk freighter that has been preserved and opened to the public. It was originally built in 1917 and was in operation for over sixty years. The museum ship gives visitors a glimpse into the life of a seaman, with displays of the ship’s engine room, crew quarters, and other features.

The Museum Ship Valley Camp is not the only historical site in the area. The Tower of History is a 130-foot-tall tower located on the banks of the St. Mary's River. The tower was built in 1971 as a tribute to the area’s rich history and is a popular tourist attraction. It contains an observation deck, museum, and gift shop.

The Sault Ste. Marie Historic District is a large area that is home to many historical buildings, including the Sault Ste. Marie Catholic Church, which was built in 1875. The district also contains the Soo Locks, which were built in 1855 and are the oldest working locks in the United States.

Sault Ste. Marie is also home to many other historical sites, including the Chippewa County Historical Society, which houses artifacts from the area’s past, and the Sault Ste. Marie Historical Society, which offers guided tours of the area.

Overall, Sault Ste. Marie is a great place to visit if you are looking to explore the history of the area. From the Museum Ship Valley Camp to the Sault Ste. Marie Historic District, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

SAULT HISTORICAL SITES is a Historical Societies, Historic Preservation in SAULT S MARIE MI. US MID #8402600476

The museum is classed as HSC (Historical Societies, Historic Preservation). It comes under American Alliance of Museums (AAM) region: Midwest (Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin). Total revenue from most recent IRS 990 Form: $ 451,777 from tax period 201212 (YYYYMM).

Contact SAULT HISTORICAL SITES

LE SAULT DE SAINT MARIE HISTORICAL SITES INC
501 E WATER ST
SAULT S MARIE
MI
49783-2038

Disclaimer: please note this database is maintained by volunteers and whilst we endeavour to do our best, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the listing.

If you notice any errors or omissions in the listing, please let us know in the comments section below.

Find more SAULT S MARIE MI Museums

Map of LE SAULT DE SAINT MARIE HISTORICAL SITES INC

SAULT HISTORICAL SITES Information

MID # 8402600476
Name LE SAULT DE SAINT MARIE HISTORICAL SITES INC
Alternate Name SAULT HISTORICAL SITES
Classification Historical Societies, Historic Preservation, , Midwest
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) 381850477
NTEECC A80
Tax period of the latest return filed (YYYYMM) 201212
INCOME 607,542
REVENUE 451,777
LAT/LONG 46.498704, -84.337625
CODES FIPS State Code: 26
FIPS County Code: 033
US Census Tract: 970300
US Census Block: 4006