St Marys River (Ont)
The obvious strategic value of the river was well known to the native people before Étienne BRÛLÉ travelled the river in 1622. Samuel de Champlain included the falls on his 1632 map. The Jesuit mission of Sainte Marie du Sault was founded on the river in 1668 but was abandoned in 1698 because of the IROQUOIS WARS, as was the first of 2 French fur-trade posts, which was established in 1689. The NORTH WEST COMPANY arrived in 1783 and in 1798 built the first canal around the rapids. The canal was destroyed by American troops during the WAR OF 1812.
Today there are 4 locks on the American side, operated by the US Corps of Engineers, and a smaller lock on the Canadian side, part of the Sault Ste Marie Canal National Historic Site. The locks and the river make up one of the busiest canal systems in the world, despite being frozen for up to 5 months of the year. The International Bridge (1963) spans the river, connecting the twin cities of Sault Ste Marie. The river was designated as a CANADIAN HERITAGE RIVER in 2000.
Sault Ste Marie, Satellite Image
The city of Sault Ste Marie, Ontario is seen as a light blue patch on this satellite image, situated on St Mary's River, which connects Lake Superior (left) and Lake Huron (courtesy Canada Centre for Remote Sensing).
Author JAMES MARSH
Links to Other Sites
Historica-Dominion Institute
The website for the Historica-Dominion Institute, parent organization of The Canadian Encyclopedia and the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada. Check out their extensive online feature about the War of 1812, the "Heritage Minutes" video collection, and many other interactive resources concerning Canadian history, culture, and heritage.
Sault Ste Marie Canal National Historic Site of Canada
A fascinating look at the many Canadian engineering innovations built into the original canal that provided safe passage between Lake Huron and Lake Superior. From Parks Canada.
The story of the founding of Montreal is perhaps unique in history....
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