Sault Sainte Marie

Sault Sainte Marie (pop. 80,900), French settlement founded (1668) on the north bank of the St. Mary's River, which connects Lakes Superior and Huron. Sault is French for “rapids”, which provide hydroelectric power for the city and the iron and steel, pulp, paper, and lumber industries. An international railway bridge linking the cities of Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan and Ontario was built in 1887. A U.S. canal and a Canadian canal were constructed in 1895 to link the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes Waterway.