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Established | 1982 |
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Location | 690 Queen St. E |
Coordinates | 46°30′29″N84°19′40″W / 46.50805°N 84.32788°W |
Director | Will Hollingshead |
Owner | City of Sault Ste. Marie |
Built | 1902–1906 |
Architect | David Ewart |
Official name | Old Post Office |
Designated | 24 October 1983 |
Reference no. | HPON05-0523 |
Website | www |
Sault Ste. Marie Museum is a museum in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Built as a post office from 1902 to 1906, this building became a museum in 1982 when it was purchased by the City of Sault Ste. Marie. It is operated by the Sault Ste. Marie & 49th Field Regiment R.C.A. Historical Society.
In 1902, the government allocated C$20,000 for the construction of a post office in Sault Ste. Marie. The site was chosen at the corner of Queen and East streets, as it was close to the winter road leading into the city. Construction of the Dominion Building began in 1904, and was completed in 1906. Along with the post office, the building also housed a customs and excise warehouse, the fisheries officer, and the Indian agent, with an apartment for the caretaker on the third floor. [1] [2]
The Sault Ste. Marie Historical Society was incorporated in 1921, with membership in the Ontario Historical Society. In 1951, the Department of Defence authorized a room in the Pine Street Armoury to be used as a library/museum, and the 49th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA Historical Society merged with the Sault Ste. Marie Historical Society. The room was financed by Sir James Dunn, then president of Algoma Steel. In the 1980s, it became apparent that this space was limited, and a larger space was needed. The city purchased the building in 1982, and the Historical Society entered into an agreement with the City of Sault Ste. Marie to occupy the now-vacant post office, and opened its doors in 1983. [3] [4] [5]
The building was officially recognized for its historic value on 23 October 1983 by the City of Sault Ste. Marie by-law 83-266, under the Ontario Heritage Act [4] [6]
The museum introduced its first artist-in-residence in 2021 with Isabelle Michaud, a francophone artist. [7] [8] Their next artist-in-residence was Ray Fox, an Anishinaabe two-spirit visual artist, whose exhibit was titled "Baawitigong: An exploration on Anishinaabe history and personal identity". [9]
For Remembrance Day 2023, the Sault Ste. Marie Museum commissioned the local 2310 Army Cadets, 46 Sea Cadets, 155 Borden Grey Air Cadets and other volunteers [10] for the Crochet Poppy Project, to crochet Remembrance poppies for a display draping through the skylight, and draping out front including about 5,000 crocheted poppies [11]
The building was designed by Chief Dominion Architect David Ewart, employing Italianate, Romanesque Revival and Neoclassical features, making it an excellent example of the Eclectic architectural style. The imposing base is constructed of local Jacobsville sandstone, with red brick above and topped with copper cornices. As there was a plentiful supply of Jacobsville sandstone from the recent excavation of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal, it is reported that the sandstone only cost C$75 and a bottle of scotch. [1]
The building features Romanesque arched windows, Italianate decorations, and Victorian Classical cornices, a projecting front entrance, as well as hardwood floors and an oak staircase and trimmings. The sandstone base is built of squared rubble sandstone with alternating long and short blocks. The second and third floors of red brick feature large pilasters. The turret on the south corner extends to the height of the first floor, and is built of rounded stones with three rectangular windows. These windows are double-sashed single-pane curved glass. The bow window is topped with a stone parapet, which originally was a balcony. The interior features a three-storey lightwell and skylight. [1] [4]
The clock tower remained empty until the clock was installed in 1912. The clock was crafted by the Smith of Derby Group of Derby, England, and shipped to Montreal, where it was sent by train to the Sault. When the clock arrived, it was discovered that the clock tower was not high enough to support the fixture, and so had to be increased in height, with the original roof maintained. During renovations in 1993, the clock was refurbished, and its three-day wind mechanism was replaced by a motor. [1]
The tower bell was crafted by John Taylor Bellfounders of Loughborough, England, and was shipped along with the clock. It is a 370 kg (810 lb.) bronze bell with iron strike. It is no longer in use, and is now located at street level for public viewing. [1] The bell was damaged with graffiti in 2023, with city workers damaging the patina during clean-up. [12] [13]
The architecture of the museum was recreated in Lego by a local company called The Brickspace. [14]
The first floor features the Durham Gallery, a rotating exhibit space for short-term exhibits, either from the museum's collection, or travelling exhibits from other museums. The Walter Wallace Military Gallery, named after Lt. Col. Walter Wallace, former commanding officer of the 49th Field Regiment and past President of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25, features the military history of the Sault. It includes many artefacts, diaries, trench art, medals, and information of major battles Saultites fought in. [15] [2] There is also a gift shop, featuring local art and handicrafts.
The second floor features the Skylight Gallery, showcasing an in-depth history of Sault Ste. Marie and area. It displays artefacts of the Indigenous first peoples of the region, including a birch bark wigwam and canoe, as well as information and artefacts from the region's history of fur trading, the War of 1812 (including a model replica of the HMS Caledonia), mining, lumbering, nursing, policing and fire management. The Discovery Gallery is a hands-on gallery with natural history and artifacts for children to play and interact with, including dress-up. [2]
The third floor features the Marine Gallery, showcasing the maritime history of the Great Lakes, including model replicas of the Chicora and the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. The Russell H. Ramsay Sports Hall of Fame is named after sportscaster and former MPP Russ Ramsay, features the sporting history of the region. It includes an Eliason motor toboggan, and history of the Soo Greyhounds. The Music Gallery features the history of venues and musicians from the Sault and area. [2]
The museum offers self-guided tours Tuesday–Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Guided group tours are also available. They also offer digitization services and venue rentals. The museum also runs a podcast, called "Stories of Northern Life". [16]
The Sault Ste. Marie Museum has archival agreements with the Sault Ste. Marie Library, The Sault Star and Sault This Week , as well as CTV. [8] They are partnered with many local groups, including:
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Chippewa County and is the only city within the county. With a population of 13,337 at the 2020 census, it is the second-most populated city in the Upper Peninsula, behind Marquette. It is the primary city of the Sault Ste. Marie, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Chippewa County and had a population of 36,785 at the 2020 census. Sault Ste. Marie was settled by mostly French colonists in 1668, making it the oldest city in Michigan.
Algoma District is a district and census division in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario.
Algoma Steel Inc. is an integrated primary steel producer located on the St. Marys River in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. Its products are sold in Canada and the United States as well as overseas. Algoma Steel was founded in 1902 by Francis Clergue, an American entrepreneur who had settled in Sault Ste. Marie. The company emerged from bankruptcy protection in 2004. In April 2007, Algoma Steel was purchased by India's Essar Group for US$ 1.63 billion, continuing operations as a subsidiary known as Essar Steel Algoma Inc. It was purchased again in 2017, by a group of US investors.
Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 2004. The area was represented by the riding of Algoma from 1867 to 1904 and from 1968 to 1996 and then by Algoma—Manitoulin from 1996 to 2004.
The Algoma Central Railway is a railway in Northern Ontario, Canada, that operates between Sault Ste. Marie and Hearst. It used to have a branch line to Wawa. The area served by the railway is sparsely populated, with few roads.
Algoma University, commonly shortened to Algoma U, is a Canadian public university in the province of Ontario, with campuses in Brampton, Sault Ste. Marie, and Timmins. Algoma U offers bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and graduate certificate programs in liberal arts, sciences and professional disciplines.
WSUE is a radio station in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Currently owned by Sovereign Communications, the station broadcasts an album-oriented rock (AOR) format with the brand name Rock 101. WSUE features a similar brand identity and playlist as Sovereign Communications' other rock station in the Upper Peninsula, WIMK in Iron Mountain, and since 2010, is the only FM rock radio station directly serving Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula and Ontario's Algoma District.
The Huron Central Railway is a railway operating in northern Ontario, Canada. It is operated by Genesee & Wyoming Canada, the Canadian subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming.
The Sault Ste. Marie Canal is a National Historic Site in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and is part of the national park system, managed by Parks Canada. It includes a lock to bypass the rapids on the St. Marys River.
The Art Gallery of Algoma (AGA) is an art museum in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. The museum occupies a 930 square metres (10,000 sq ft) facility, situated near the shoreline of St. Marys River.
The Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame is a series of markers located throughout downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. The Walk of Fame is a joint project between the city of Sault Ste. Marie and its Downtown Association, and honours those from the city or the Algoma District who have made outstanding contributions to the community or have made significant achievements in their chosen field(s) of work. Inductees are added on an annual basis.
49th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA, is a Canadian Forces Primary Reserve regiment based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The regiment is part of 4th Canadian Division's 33 Canadian Brigade Group.
Jacobsville Sandstone is a red sandstone formation, marked with light-colored streaks and spots, primarily found in northern Upper Michigan, portions of Ontario, and under much of Lake Superior. Desired for its durability and aesthetics, the sandstone was used as an architectural building stone in both Canada and the United States. The stone was extracted by thirty-two quarries throughout the Upper Peninsula of Michigan approximately between 1870 and 1915.
Sault Ste. Marie is a city in Ontario, Canada. The third-largest city in Northern Ontario after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, it is located on the St. Mary's River on the Canada–US border. To the southwest, across the river, is the United States and the Michigan city of the same name. The two cities are joined by the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, which connects Interstate 75 on the Michigan side to Huron Street on the Ontario side. Shipping traffic in the Great Lakes system bypasses the Saint Mary's Rapids via the American Soo Locks, the world's busiest canal in terms of tonnage that passes through it, while smaller recreational and tour boats use the Canadian Sault Ste. Marie Canal.
Shingwauk Indian Residential School was a Canadian residential school for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children that operated in Canada between 1873 and 1970 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, by the Anglican Church of Canada and the Government of Canada.
The Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre (SRSC) is an archival repository and cross-cultural education centre within Algoma University with a special mandate to collect and preserve material relating to the legacy residential schools in Canada, healing and reconciliation, and Indigenous communities. The Shingwauk Residential Schools Centre is jointly governed by Algoma University and the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association. It is a partner with the Engracia de Jesus Matias Archives and Special Collections which is also located at Algoma University.
The Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association (CSAA) is a grassroots, community based intergenerational residential school survivor organization based in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario.
James Watson Curran was a newspaper publisher and editor who settled in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario after purchasing a local weekly newspaper in 1901. He went on to publicize and promote the city and the Algoma District. He played a leadership role in the formation of the Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie in 1918 and was actively involved in local history and tourism promotion.
The Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site is a historic site and museum located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.
Entomica Insectarium is an insectarium and natural history museum located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. First established in the Mill Market in 2014, Entomica is now located in the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre.