Sault Ste. Marie (French rapids of St. Mary) is a city in
Michigan, USA, on the rapids of the St. Marys River. On the
opposite bank of the river is the Canadian town of Sault Ste.
Marie, which was divided as a result of the British-American
War.
In 2010, Sault Ste. Marie 14,144 inhabitants; by the
2019 estimate, the population had fallen to 13,420.
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, founded in 1668 as the state's oldest
city, sits at the nexus of Lake Superior and the St. Marys River, a
strategic spot for fur trade, shipping, and Native American history. Its
long timeline—spanning Ojibwe settlements, French missions, and
industrial booms—has bred a rich tapestry of ghost stories and forsaken
sites. The area's harsh winters, shipwrecks, and economic shifts have
left behind spectral legends tied to brothels, ships, and homes,
alongside crumbling relics of its past. Paranormal investigators like
the Upper Peninsula Paranormal Research Society (UPPRS) have documented
activity here, blending Native American spirits with echoes of
Prohibition-era vice and maritime tragedies. While not every site is
overtly "haunted," the isolation of the Upper Peninsula amplifies tales
of unrest, from disembodied voices in cemeteries to shadowy figures on
museum ships.
Haunted Legends and Locations
Sault Ste. Marie's
hauntings often stem from its gritty history: speakeasies, ship
captains' legacies, and untimely deaths. Many sites are still
operational, but reports of apparitions and poltergeist activity
persist.
The Antlers Restaurant: This downtown eatery, at 804 E.
Portage Ave., occupies a building that once served as a speakeasy and
brothel during Prohibition. Legends claim it's haunted by a "lady of the
night" (a prostitute) and possibly a former waitress who met a tragic
end. Paranormal events include doors swinging open unaided, office
equipment powering on and off mysteriously, and investigators being
physically pushed on the kitchen stairs by invisible hands. UPPRS probes
have captured electronic voice phenomena (EVPs) here, suggesting
residual energy from its rowdy past. The atmosphere blends taxidermy
decor with eerie vibes, making it a hotspot for ghost hunters.
Soo Brewing Company (formerly Superior Impressions): Housed in a
historic building at 223 W. Portage Ave., originally built by a retired
ship captain's family for retail, this microbrewery is tied to maritime
lore. The captain's spirit reportedly lingers, manifesting as
disembodied footsteps echoing from upper floors and objects relocating
overnight—like a Christmas caroler doll found in odd spots after the
building was locked. Investigations under its prior name revealed these
anomalies, attributing them to the captain's unwillingness to abandon
his domain. Patrons sometimes feel a watchful presence, especially near
the old retail areas.
Museum Ship Valley Camp: Docked at 501 E. Water
St. as a maritime museum, this 1917 freighter isn't haunted by its own
history but by artifacts from deadly shipwrecks it displays, including
items from vessels lost on the Great Lakes. Visitors report shadowy
figures pacing the deck at night, heavy coughing EVPs near the coal
furnace (one recording captured a voice saying "I am coughing"), and
sensations of being followed despite solitude. Legends suggest souls
attached to the relics—drowned sailors or victims of storms—roam the
corridors, evoking the perilous shipping era that claimed thousands of
lives in the Soo Locks region.
Ramada Plaza Ojibway (formerly Ramada
Ojibway Plaza): At 240 W. Portage Ave., this hotel is steeped in tales
of Beatrice, the wife of a former owner, who allegedly haunts her old
suite (now guest rooms). Guests find suitcases mysteriously unpacked and
beds remade without staff intervention. A tall, dapper man in a top hat
and dress clothes has been spotted wandering the lobby, possibly a
spectral guest from the hotel's early 20th-century heyday. These
intelligent hauntings suggest personal attachments to the property, with
Beatrice's benevolent housekeeping contrasting the enigmatic gentleman's
silent vigils.
The Satisfied Frog Pub: Located across from the Palace
Saloon at an unspecified downtown address, this bar harbors a
mischievous child spirit—a little girl seen and heard giggling at the
rear. Other phenomena include nickels appearing on empty bars and a
chilling photo from years ago showing a gnarled, disembodied hand
clutching a patron's shoulder. Legends link it to the area's saloon
history, perhaps a child lost during epidemics or accidents in the
1800s.
Palace Saloon and Pioneer Saloon: The Palace (now a
restaurant) at an unspecified location reports full-building activity,
including a man in black apparition lounging in booths. Nearby, the
Pioneer Saloon (possibly related) is haunted by Ruby X, a strangled
prostitute; witnesses describe a floating lady beside beds during
overnight stays. These tie into Sault's wild frontier days of vice and
violence.
408 Dillon St. House: A private residence with a dark
legacy, former occupants report a soldier's ghost in the basement,
invisible forces carrying people downstairs, names whispered from below,
and flickering lights. It evokes military history from the nearby forts.
Sugar Island: Just 4 miles east via ferry, this 49-square-mile isle,
ancestral to the Ojibwe, buzzes with Native American spirits and ongoing
paranormal activity. Legends root in its UN headquarters consideration
and indigenous heritage, with reports of ethereal presences guarding the
land.
The Haunted Depot: At 317 W. Portage Ave., this seasonal
Halloween shop operates in a purportedly real haunted house, blending
commercial spooks with potential genuine legends. While primarily an
attraction with costumes and a "spooky haunted house" for kids, its old
depot structure fuels rumors of residual haunts from rail-era tragedies
or abandonments. The creepy exterior mural enhances its eerie
reputation.
Abandoned Places
Sault Ste. Marie's industrial
decline has scattered forsaken sites, some with haunting undertones due
to their isolation or past deaths. While not all are explicitly ghostly,
their decay invites legends.
Abandoned Factory: An industrial
site now partially repurposed, its rusting remnants hint at
manufacturing history, with no specific haunts but urban explorer tales
of eerie silence.
Abandoned House and Barn on Carpin Beach Road: A
rural, overgrown homestead, evoking forgotten farm life; whispers of
spectral residents from economic hardships.
Ass. Superintendent
Residence: Demolished house tied to administrative past, now just
foundations.
Chromium Plant: Demolished industrial relic from mining
eras, potentially linked to environmental ghosts.
Emergency Swing
Dam: An abandoned bridge/locks structure near the Soo Locks, symbolizing
engineering failures; reports of watery apparitions from lock accidents.
Northern Breweries: Demolished commercial site, echoing Prohibition's
end.
Old Fish Hatchery at the Locks: Repurposed industrial spot, with
aquatic legends from Great Lakes lore.
Old School: Fully abandoned
educational building, ripe for child ghost stories from past epidemics.
Queen St. Pioneer Cemetery: An abandoned burial ground, overgrown and
forgotten, with potential for classic cemetery haunts like orbs or
voices.
Historic cemeteries add to the abandoned aura:
Maple
Ridge Cemetery: Established 1874 on Ashmun St., filled by 1901 due to
high death rates; notable for a hypnotist's burial after a mysterious
death.
Mission Hill Cemetery (20 miles west): Overlooks Lake
Superior, burying Native Americans and SS Myron shipwreck victims from
1919, frozen in ice—fueling tales of restless sailors. Ghost lights and
voices reported.
Riverside Cemetery and Potter’s Field: From 1890 on
Riverside Dr., includes a section for the destitute with over 280
unmarked graves; stories of despair evoke wandering spirits.
Nearby, the Goudreau ghost town (in Ontario, about 100 miles east but
regionally linked via shared history) exemplifies abandonment: a former
mining hub decimated by the 1918 Spanish flu, now overgrown with ruins,
a red "Blood Lake," and a hidden cemetery. Seasonal caretaker George
Kennedy oversees cabins amid collapsed schools and smelters, with plague
legends adding a haunted layer.
Indigenous Peoples and Early Inhabitants
The area now known as
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, has been inhabited for thousands of years,
with archaeological evidence indicating Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe or
Chippewa) settlements dating back to at least 3000 B.C. The
Anishinaabeg, including the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, were
fishing tribes whose ancestral territories dotted the upper Great Lakes
around Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and Lake Huron. They referred to
the site as Bahweting, meaning "The Gathering Place," due to the
abundance of fish in the rapids of the St. Marys River, which connected
Lake Superior to the lower lakes. This location served as a summer hub
where tribes gathered for fishing, councils, ceremonies, and trade,
dispersing into smaller family units during winter for hunting,
gathering, and preserving food. The rapids dropped 21 feet, creating
treacherous waters that required portaging but provided world-class
fishing, particularly for whitefish, which remains a cultural and
economic staple today.
Anishinaabeg culture was rich in oral
traditions, legends, and spiritual practices. They revered Gitchi Manito
(the Great Spirit) as the creator, with spirits inhabiting natural
elements like thunder, the Milky Way, and cardinal directions. Myths
featured figures like Manibosho, a demi-god who rebuilt the world after
a deluge and built a giant dam at the rapids (originally at Iroquois
Point), and tales of windigos (cannibals), mermaids, and sacred sites
such as the Manito tree (a mountain-ash that emitted war-drum sounds)
and a limestone boulder with inscriptions. Totems—clan symbols like
Crane, Owl, Turtle, Bear, or Wolf—denoted ancestry and were used in
warfare, travel, and rituals. Daily life involved birch-bark canoes,
snowshoes, dog-trains, and tools like nets married to virgin girls in
ceremonies to honor their spirits. Medicine men (midis) consulted the
Great Turtle for guidance through dreams and shaking tents, while
ceremonies included pipe-smoking, ball-playing, and feasts of the dead
at burial grounds near modern Fort Brady.
The area was also home to
other groups, including the Oc̣eṭi Ṡakowiƞ (Sioux peoples like Dakota,
Lakota, and Nakoda), who inhabited it before the Ojibwe and Ottawa
arrived. Conflicts arose, such as the Ojibwe defeating Iroquois
invasions around the 1650s at Point Iroquois, solidifying their control.
Chiefs like Waub-ojeeg (a poet and warrior), Shingwakonce, Sassaba, and
Oh ta gee zig played key roles in leadership and resistance.
European Exploration and Settlement (17th Century)
European contact
began in the early 1600s with French explorers seeking fur trade
opportunities and routes to Asia. Étienne Brûlé, a French Canadian
interpreter for Samuel de Champlain, is credited as the first European
to visit the area around 1615–1622, naming the rapids Saut de Gaston.
Jean Nicolet followed in 1634, exploring nearby regions like Green Bay
while searching for a passage to China. Jesuit missionaries arrived in
1641, with Fathers Isaac Jogues and Charles Raymbault planting a cross
at a Chippewa village. In 1665, Father Claude Allouez renamed the site
Saut de Tracy and founded missions, noting the locals' worship of the
lake as a Manito.
The pivotal moment came in 1668 when Jesuit
missionaries Claude Dablon and Jacques Marquette established a permanent
mission, renaming the settlement Sault Ste. Marie in honor of the Virgin
Mary. This made it the oldest permanent European settlement in Michigan
and one of the oldest in the United States west of the Appalachians. On
June 4, 1671, Simon-François Daumont de Saint-Lusson held a ceremony
claiming the territory for King Louis XIV of France, attended by
representatives from 14 Indigenous nations. Explorers like Pierre-Esprit
Radisson and Médard Chouart des Groseilliers visited in 1658, describing
it as a "terrestrial paradise" and later founding the Hudson's Bay
Company in 1670, shifting fur trade dynamics.
The fur trade boomed,
with French voyageurs adapting to Indigenous customs, including
intermarriages. However, issues like the liquor trade led to moral
decay, prompting complaints from missionaries like Father Gabriel
Carheil and royal edicts against brandy. By the late 17th century, the
area was a hub for Jesuits, fur traders, and Indigenous peoples, but
conflicts with the Iroquois and English reduced activity.
British
and Early American Periods (18th–Early 19th Centuries)
The 1700s saw
French-British rivalries over the strategic location and fur trade. In
1750, the French granted a seignory to Chevalier de Repentigny and
Captain de Bonne, who built a fort in 1751–1752, introducing livestock
like horses and cattle—the first in Chippewa County. After the French
and Indian War, Britain took control in 1762–1763. Alexander Henry, a
British trader, described the village and fishery in 1762, surviving the
1763 Michilimackinac massacre thanks to Chief Wawatam.
The North West
Company, based in Montreal, dominated the fur trade by the late 18th
century, building a 38-foot navigation lock on the Canadian side in 1797
(destroyed in the War of 1812). John Johnston, a Scots-Irish immigrant,
settled in 1790, marrying Ozhaguscodaywayquay (Susan Johnston), daughter
of Ojibwe chief Waubojeeg, and becoming a prominent fur trader. Their
family bridged Native, French, and European cultures.
The Treaty of
Paris (1783) ceded the area to the United States, but British withdrawal
delayed until after the War of 1812, during which U.S. raids destroyed
North West Company assets. The 1817 US–UK Joint Boundary Commission
fixed the border along the St. Marys River, dividing the community. In
1820, the Treaty of Sault Ste. Marie, negotiated by Michigan territorial
governor Lewis Cass with the Ojibwe, ceded 16 square miles for Fort
Brady (built 1822–1823) to secure U.S. presence. This treaty reserved
fishing and camping rights for the Ojibwe. The Erie Canal's completion
in 1825 boosted Yankee migration, shifting the cosmopolitan society
toward Anglo-American dominance and increasing discrimination against
Native Americans and Métis.
Further treaties, like the 1836 Treaty of
Washington (ceding northern Michigan lands for cash and reservations)
and the 1855 Treaty with the Ottawa and Chippewa (allotting lands),
eroded the Anishinaabeg lifeway through reservations, boarding schools,
and assimilation. The fur trade declined by the 1840s, replaced by
copper and iron mining in the Lake Superior region.
Development
of the Soo Locks and Industrial Growth (Mid-19th–20th Centuries)
The
rapids posed a major barrier to shipping, requiring portaging that took
weeks. In 1852, Congress granted 750,000 acres of land to build locks.
The State Lock, a tandem system of two 350-foot locks, was completed in
1855 under Charles T. Harvey, enabling commerce between Lake Superior
and the lower Great Lakes. The federal government took control in the
1870s, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now operates the Soo Locks,
the busiest in the world and including the largest in the Western
Hemisphere (completed 1968). This transformed Sault Ste. Marie into a
key hub for the St. Lawrence Seaway, supporting migration, mining, and
trade.
The village incorporated in 1879 and as a city in 1887,
becoming the Chippewa County seat in 1826. Industries emerged, including
the Northwestern Leather Company tannery (opened 1900, closed 1958) and
hydroelectric power from the rapids. During the Great Depression, Sophia
Nolte Pullar bequeathed funds for the Pullar Community Building (opened
1939), featuring an indoor ice rink. Fort Brady relocated in the 1890s
to what is now Lake Superior State University (founded 1946 as an
extension of Michigan College of Mining and Technology).
Modern
Era (20th Century–Present)
In the mid-20th century, descendants of
the Original Bands of Chippewa Indians reorganized in 1953, gaining
federal recognition as the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in
1972. With 44,000 members today, the tribe operates businesses like
Kewadin Casino, provides services in health, housing, and education, and
asserts treaty rights for hunting and fishing.
Sault Ste. Marie, with
a 2020 population of 13,337 (down from 16,542 in 2000), is the
second-largest city in Michigan's Upper Peninsula after Marquette. It
serves as a port of entry connected to its Canadian sister city by the
Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge (northern terminus of I-75). The
economy focuses on tourism (Soo Locks tours, forests, lakes), forest
products, dairying, and manufacturing (plastics, auto parts). Cultural
sites include the Henry Rowe Schoolcraft home (museum), the SS Valley
Camp (maritime museum and aquarium), and annual Pow Wows by the Sault
Tribe. The city remains a symbol of resilience, blending Indigenous
heritage with industrial and natural legacies.
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, is situated at the northeastern tip of
Michigan's Upper Peninsula, serving as the county seat of Chippewa
County. It lies along the St. Marys River, which forms the international
border with Canada and connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron. The city's
coordinates are approximately 46°29′49″N 84°20′44″W, with an elevation
of about 617 feet (188 meters) above sea level. This positioning makes
it the oldest European settlement in Michigan, originally established
around the river's rapids, and it shares its name with the larger twin
city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, across the river. The two are
connected by the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, facilitating
cross-border travel and trade.
The city occupies a unique
"river-island" formation, bounded by the St. Marys River and rapids to
the north and the Sault Ste. Marie Power Canal to the south. This
geography has historically made it a critical hub for navigation and
commerce in the Great Lakes system.
The topography of Sault Ste. Marie is shaped by its location within a
valley bordered by the ancient Canadian Shield to the north, a remnant
of North America's geological core. The area features relatively flat
terrain in the urban core, transitioning to forested uplands and inland
lakes in the surrounding region. The rapids of the St. Marys River drop
approximately 21 feet (7 meters) over a short distance, creating a
dramatic natural barrier that necessitated the construction of the Soo
Locks for shipping. This drop in elevation contributes to the area's
hydropower potential, as evidenced by the Saint Marys Falls Hydropower
Plant.
The broader landscape includes dense boreal forests, typical
of the Upper Peninsula, with coniferous trees dominating due to the
northern latitude. Nearby natural attractions include the Hiawatha
National Forest to the west and numerous inland lakes, such as those in
the Chippewa County region, which support recreational activities like
fishing and hiking. The city's position at the outlet of Lake Superior
also exposes it to lake-effect weather patterns, influencing both its
topography through erosion and its ecosystem.
Central to Sault Ste. Marie's geography is the St. Marys River, a
vital waterway that drains Lake Superior—the largest freshwater lake by
surface area in the world—into the lower Great Lakes. The river
stretches about 75 miles (120 km) from Whitefish Bay on Lake Superior to
Lake Huron, but the most significant feature is the rapids at Sault Ste.
Marie, where the water level drops sharply. Historically, this required
portaging for Native American tribes and early European explorers, but
today, the Soo Locks bypass these rapids, allowing vessels to navigate
the 21-foot elevation change.
The locks, operated by the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, consist of parallel structures that can accommodate
ships up to 1,000 feet (300 meters) long and 105 feet (32 meters) wide,
known as "lakers." On average, 10,000 ships pass through annually,
though the system closes from January to March due to ice. A smaller
Canadian lock handles recreational boats. The river's flow also powers
hydroelectric facilities, and its waters support diverse aquatic
ecosystems, including fisheries for species like walleye and salmon. The
international border runs through the river, making hydrology a key
aspect of binational cooperation.
Sault Ste. Marie experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen
Dfb), characterized by cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers.
Influenced by its proximity to Lake Superior, the city is one of the
snowiest in Michigan, averaging 120 inches (3 meters) of snowfall
annually, with a record of 209 inches (5.3 meters) in a single season.
Extreme events, like the December 1995 blizzard that dumped 62 inches
(1.6 meters) over five days, highlight lake-effect snow, where cold air
masses pick up moisture from the warmer lake waters.
Temperatures
range from a record low of -36°F (-38°C) to a high of 98°F (37°C).
Monthly averages include January lows around 13°F (-11°C) and July highs
up to 64°F (18°C), with about 85 days per year where highs stay at or
below freezing. Precipitation totals around 34.46 inches (875 mm)
yearly, peaking in September and October due to atmospheric instability
from warmer lake waters interacting with cooler air. The region sees
over 200 cloudy days annually, making it the cloudiest part of the Upper
Peninsula. This climate supports winter sports tourism but also poses
challenges like harsh winters and occasional flooding along the river.
Beyond the city limits, the geography extends into the rugged terrain
of the Upper Peninsula, with the Canadian Shield's rocky outcrops to the
north and expansive forests to the south and west. The area is a gateway
to Lake Superior's northern shore, with nearby features like Tahquamenon
Falls State Park and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore offering dramatic
cliffs, waterfalls, and sand dunes. Inland, the landscape includes
moraines and glacial deposits from the last Ice Age, contributing to
fertile soils in some areas and poor drainage in others.
Ecologically, the region is part of the Great Lakes ecoregion, with
wetlands along the river supporting migratory birds and wildlife. Human
impacts include industrial development around the locks, but
conservation efforts focus on water quality in the St. Marys River,
which has faced pollution from historical shipping and manufacturing.
Overall, Sault Ste. Marie's geography blends natural beauty,
hydrological engineering, and climatic extremes, making it a unique
locale in the Midwest.
In the official census in 2010, a population of 14,144 was
determined. By 2019, the population declined slightly to 13,420. An
average of 2.22 people lived in the 5,735 households. The population
density was about 350 people per square kilometer. There were 6,232
residential buildings, which corresponded to a building density of 162.6
buildings per square kilometer.
The 2018 population was 75.4
percent White, 3.4 percent African American, 12.4 percent Native
American, 0.5 percent Asian, and 0.4 percent other. 8.0 percent stated
that they descended from at least two of these groups. 1.7 percent of
the population consisted of Hispanics, who belonged to various of the
groups mentioned.
6.5 percent were under the age of 5, 19.0
percent were under the age of 18, and 15.9 percent were 65 and older.
The proportion of women was 48.5 percent.
The median income per
household was US$36,102 (USD) in 2018. 24.7 percent of the total
population had an income below the poverty line.
Jane Johnston Schoolcraft (1800–1842), Native American writer
Clarence John Abel (1900–1964), ice hockey player
Bob Bemer
(1920–2004), computer pioneer
Terry O'Quinn (born 1952), actor