Saturday, June 1, 2024

Another business trip took me back to Sault Ste Marie and since I had some time in the evening I decided to visit a Canadian National Heritage site. The Sault Ste Marie Canal. The city is located on the St. Mary River where water flows from Lake Superior to Lake Huron. The St. Marys Rapids were the site of the most significant change in elevation between the two Great Lakes. These rapids made an impediment for the fur trade and the first lock was built here in 1798 by the North West Fur company. This lock was destroyed by the Americans during the War of 1812 in an effort to disrupt the British control of the Great Lakes. A replacement lock was opened in 1895 and included the first electric operating system that was run by power created on site in a powerhouse. The image below shows the lower end of the single lock on the canal.

Lake Superior is about 23 feet in elevation higher than Lake Huron. The St. Mary’s River that connects the two lakes accommodates the elevation change through a series of rapids. The St. Mary’s Rapids were the site of a portage for centuries before Etienne Brule arrived there in 1621 as the first European to arrive at what would become Sault Ste. Marie. The St. Mary’s Falls Ship Canal Company started operating the first modern style lock in 1855. The image below shows the lock which is 253 feet long (77m), 51 feet wide (15.4m) and 44 feet deep (13.5m). It is normally at the water level of Lake Huron.

The other side of the gates shows the water level of Lake Superior.

A powerhouse was constructed to supply power for the canal and to light the area. The building is currently under restoration and will be open to the public when completed. The original design from 1893 called for hydraulic power to operate the canal. A decision was made to convert it to electrical power making it the first electrically powered canal in the world.

The power mill was operated using water from the canal. A 1,000 foot intake pipe was run from the top end of the canal to the back of the powerhouse. The excavations for repair show the size of the pipe that supplied the water to the powerhouse.

The water was gravity fed to the powerhouse and split into two smaller penstocks before entering the back of the building. There were two water turbines on the first floor and the force of the water entering them caused them to spin. A series of belts and pulleys turned the generators on the second floor where electricity was generated.

Another building was added in 1896 to act as the Stores building and Blacksmith Shop. The main building was used to store everything that was needed for the operation and maintenance of the canal. The single story portion on the end served as a blacksmith shop where metal parts were forged or repaired. The building was in terrible shape by 2010 and the foundation was collapsing. A major restoration has been completed and it now serves as the visitor centre.

There’s a small building which was used for shelter for the canalmen. An observation platform has been constructed on the top of the building from which you can see the whole canal area.

One of the most beautiful buildings in the area is the Administration Building. This Second Empire structure boasts a mansard roof and plenty of decorative stone work.

The Superintendent’s home is still located just a few feet from the canal and boasts Late-Victorian architecture.

The canal has the last remaining Emergency Swing Dam which is designed to prevent disaster in case of a failure of the canal retention system. On June 9, 1909 it was put into use when the gates were rammed from the top, allowing a torrent of water to enter the lock as two ships were preparing to transition the lock. The swing dam was put into action and the flow of water slowed down so that the auxiliary gates could be closed. It took 12 days to reopen the canal. In 1987 there was a lock wall failure and the canal was closed. When it reopened in 1998 it was made available to recreational craft who are the users of the canal up until now.

There are many interpretive signs to aid your exploration and a guided tour is also available, making this an interesting historical site to visit.

Related Stories: Burlington Canal, The First Three Welland Canals, Newmarket Ghost Canal, Peterborough Lift Lock

Google Maps Link: Sault Ste Marie Canal

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