Sault Ste. Marie: A Project Report

Abstract

In 1977 the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) of the National Park Service completed an inventory of industrial and engineering sites in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Included in the inventory was this turn-of-the-century powerhouse and canal at Sault Ste. Marie. Charles K. Hyde, the inventory director, was impressed by the historic significance and excellent condition of both the power canal and the hydroelectric plant. Following his recommendation, HAER fielded a summer project at Sault Ste. Marie in 1978. The purpose of the project was two-fold: to thoroughly document the powerhouse's history and to provide a plan for making greater use of the structure, large parts of which had been empty since 1963. HAER did not conduct the project alone. Cosponsors, who provided funding and/or valuable support services, included the Michigan History Division, Michigan Department of State; the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; the Chippewa County Historical Society; the Edison Sault Electric Company; Lake Superior State College; and the City of Sault Ste. Marie.