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Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Frequently asked questions

Sault Ste. Marie, MI

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.

Sault Ste. Marie is located along the St. Marys River, which flows from Lake Superior to Lake Huron and forms part of the United States–Canada border. Across the river is the larger Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada; the two cities are connected by the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge. Between the two cities are the Soo Locks, a set of locks allowing ship travel between Lake Superior and the Lower Great Lakes. Sault Ste. Marie is home to Lake Superior State University.

The city name was derived from the French term for the nearby rapids, which were called Les Saults de Sainte Marie. Sainte Marie (Saint Mary) was the name of the river and Saults referred to the rapids. (The archaic spelling Sault is a relic of the Middle French Period. Latin salta successively became Old French salte (c. 800 – c. 1340), Middle French sault, and Modern French saut, as in the verb sauter, to jump.)

Whereas the modern saut means simply "(a) jump", sault in the 17th century was also applied to cataracts, waterfalls, and rapids. This resulted in such place names as Grand Falls/Grand-Sault, and Sault-au-Récollet on the Island of Montreal in Canada; and Sault-Saint-Remy and Sault-Brénaz in France. In contemporary French, the word for "rapids" is rapides.

Sault Sainte-Marie in French means "the Rapids of Saint Mary" (for a more detailed discussion, refer to the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario page). The Saint Mary's River runs from Lake Superior to Lake Huron, between what are now the twin border cities on either side.

No hyphens are used in the English spelling, which is otherwise identical to the French, but the pronunciations differ. Anglophones say /ˌsuː seɪnt məˈriː/ and Francophones say [so sɛ̃t maʁi]. In French, the name can be written Sault-Sainte-Marie. On both sides of the border, the towns and the general vicinity are called The Sault (usually pronounced /suː/), or The Soo.

For centuries, Oc̣eṭi Ṡakowiƞ (Dakota, Lakota, Nakoda), or Sioux, people lived in the area. Around the 1300s, the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) began to move in from the East Coast, gradually pushing the Oc̣eṭi Ṡakowiƞ westward. They called the area Baawitigong ("at the cascading rapids"), after the rapids of St. Marys River. French colonists renamed the region Saulteaux ("rapids" in French). The Oc̣eṭi Ṡakowiƞ came to call the Anishinaabe "Ḣaḣaṭuƞwaƞ", or "Dwellers of the Falls."

The city is located at 46°49'N 84°35'W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 20.16 square miles (52.21 km2), of which 14.77 square miles (38.25 km2) is land and 5.39 square miles (13.96 km2) is water. The city's downtown is on an island, formed by the Sault Ste. Marie Power Canal to the south the St. Mary's River and Soo Locks to the north.

Sault Ste. Marie, MI offers a variety of spas, gyms, and health and wellness activities that cater to the health and fitness needs of its residents. Anytime Fitness offers 24/7 access to state-of-the-art equipment and personalized training programs. Northern Life Yoga hosts yoga and Pilates classes focusing on core strength, flexibility, and mindfulness. Bordertown Chiropractic focuses on spinal health, pain relief, and overall wellness with a range of chiropractic services. Planet Fitness promotes a judgment-free environment with a wide array of exercise equipment and group fitness classes. Northern Bliss Massage & Wellness offers luxurious treatments like hot stone massages, aromatherapy, and body wraps. Up North Nutrition & Gym 906 features modern equipment, personal training, and various group fitness classes in a supportive environment. These diverse facilities and activities make Sault Ste. Marie is a vibrant community for health and wellness, enriching the lives of its residents.

Top sites in Sault Ste. Marie, MI are Soo Locks, Tower of History, Kewadin Casinos – Sault Ste. Marie, and Museum Ship Valley Camp. 

Population: 13,320 (2023). ZIP code: 49783. Area code: 906. Elevation: 617 ft (188 m). Area: 20.02 sq mi (51.86 km2).

FAQs

What is Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan known for?

The Soo Locks may be the most famous place in Sault Ste. Marie but be sure to uncover the gems that make up Sault Ste. Marie's historic downtown. From locally owned restaurants to attractions including a retired freighter turned museum, the Soo has it all and all within a walkable Michigan Main Street downtown. Warm weather brings Sault Ste. Marie to life in the summer! Longer days mean more time to explore all that the Soo has to offer both on land and water.

What is the poverty rate in Sault Ste. Marie, MI?

The average household income in Sault Ste. Marie is $61,804 with a poverty rate of 20.81%. The median age in Sault Ste. Marie is 35.3 years: 31.6 years for males, and 41.1 years for females. Sault Ste. Marie is currently declining at a rate of -0.06% annually and its population has decreased by -0.25% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 13,350 in 2020.

What is the crime rate in Sault Ste. Marie, MI?

The crime rate in Sault Ste. Marie is considerably higher than the national average across all communities in America from the largest to the smallest, although, at 12 crimes per one thousand residents, it is not among the communities with the very highest crime rate. The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in Sault Ste. Marie is 1 in 80. Based on FBI crime data, Sault Ste. Marie is not one of the safest communities in America. Relative to Michigan, Sault Ste. Marie has a crime rate that is higher than 66% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes.

Sources

Wikipedia

City of Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Pure Michigan

Neighborhood Scout

World Population Review

Anytime Fitness 

Northern Life Yoga

Bordertown Chiropractic

Planet Fitness

Northern Bliss Massage & Wellness

Up North Nutrition & Gym 906

Soo Locks

Tower of History 

Kewadin Casinos – Sault Ste. Marie 

Museum Ship Valley Camp

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