The Indigenous people drew on the ample resources of the area including wild game and berries, materials to build shelters, and most importantly sturgeon in the spring and abundant whitefish in the fall.

Baawitigong was also an important meeting place for the broader family of Algonquin peoples and would grow to thousands during the whitefish season each year.

Based on his voyages with the Jesuits the year before, explorer Louis Jolliet marked the area "Le Sault St. Marie" on his 1674 map.

In 1735, Louis Denys de la Ronde, a French naval officer established a ship yard on the north shore of the St. Marys near Pointe-aux-Pins.

[18] At the conclusion of the Seven Years' War in 1763, France relinquished virtually all of its interests in North America and the British and their First Nations allies controlled the fur trade on the Great Lakes.

Scots-British fur trader John Johnston, his Ojibwe wife, Ozhaguscodaywayquay (Woman of the Green Glade), daughter of a chief, and their multi-racial children were prominent here in the village in the late 1700s.

In 1870, the United States refused to give the steamer Chicora, carrying Colonel Garnet Wolseley, permission to pass through the locks at Sault Ste Marie, which were otherwise available to both US and Canadian ships.

Marie, which would allow for both a "water bridge" to the head of Lake Superior at Thunder Bay and an all-rail connection to the west via American railways in the Midwest, benefiting Hill's St Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railroad.

[24] Throughout the abrupt rise and fall of these competing projects, CPR construction had slowly marched westward under engineer James Worthington.

[25][26] A new transcontinental mainline through Northern Ontario, passing directly through the interior and bypassing the lakeshore settlements along Lake Huron (including Sault Ste.

[29] The town gained brief international notoriety in 1911 in the trial of Angelina Napolitano, the first person in Canada to use the battered woman defence for murder.

During World War II, and particularly after the US was attacked by Japan at Pearl Harbor in 1941, government concern turned to protection of the locks and shipping channel at Sault Ste.

Barrage balloons were installed, and early warning radar bases were established at five locations in northern Ontario (Kapuskasing, Cochrane, Hearst, Armstrong (Thunder Bay District), and Nakina)[34] to watch for incoming aircraft.

A little over one year later, in January 1943, most of these facilities and defences were deemed excessive and removed, save a reduced military base at Sault Ste.

The resolution was widely seen as retaliation for Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa's move to override the Supreme Court of Canada ruling that declared parts of Bill 101 unconstitutional.

Peterson and his successor as premier, Bob Rae, refused to meet with Mayor Fratesi on several subsequent occasions, even to discuss unrelated matters.

[36] The city had previously established French as an official language for government services, due to a sizable French-speaking population, and these residents objected strongly to the council's action.

Marie Solar Park (68 MW), co-generation plant (Brookfield Power), F. H. Clergue Hydroelectric Generating Station, nearby Prince Township Wind Farm (189 MW) and several nearby hydroelectric dams, form part of the city's push to develop alternative forms of energy and gain the title of 'Alternative Energy Capital of North America'.

Cruise ships often dock at Roberta Bondar Park, which includes a large pavilion, small farmers market, a BeaverTails outlet, a small canteen, a marina, public washrooms, a Roberta Bondar statue, and green space; located to the right (looking at the city from the waterfront) is Montana's and the newly renovated City Hall, and to the left, Delta Sault Ste.

In 2018, Ontario Northland announced a major service expansion west of Sudbury, which includes multiple stops in Sault Ste.

Marie Waterfront, with the Roberta Bondar Place[usurped] directly to the North, which consists of the OLG headquarters and other provincial government offices.

Marie, alongside pristine northern lakes and rivers and through the awesome granite rock formations and vast mixed forests of the Canadian Shield, eventually ending at the Agawa Canyon.

Marie city council voted in favour of developing a downtown plaza, located between Spring and Brock Street—the plaza will eliminate Bingham Street and will eventually form a large common area with a fountain/skating surface, restrooms and changing rooms, a large screen, event space, a Tim Hortons (located in existing building), and the Mill Market, with other businesses and attractions expected to open as a result of development.

Marie's census agglomeration, which includes the outlaying townships of Laird, Prince and Macdonald, Meredith and Aberdeen Additional as well as the First Nations reserves of Garden River and Rankin, had a total population of 76,731, down 1.8% from 78,159 in 2016[74] Sault Ste.

The current Hounds have retired five jerseys since joining the Ontario Hockey League in 1972: #19 Joe Thornton, #1 John Vanbiesbrouck, #4 Craig Hartsburg, #10 Ron Francis, #5 Adam Foote, and #99 Wayne Gretzky.

Marie hockey teams have boasted a number of Hockey Hall of Fame members, including Sault natives or residents Phil Esposito, Tony Esposito, Ron Francis, and Didier Pitre, as well as Sault team members Gerry Cheevers, Paul Coffey, Bill Cook, Bun Cook, Wayne Gretzky, Newsy Lalonde, George McNamara, and Marty Walsh.

National Hockey League All-Stars Joe Thornton and Jeff Carter played their entire OHL careers as members of the Greyhounds.

Marie high schools have consistently won Northern Ontario honours (NOSSA) and are regular participants in provincial finals.

Marie include Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee Rocky Dipietro, Paralympic swimmer Jessica Tuomela, and mixed martial artist Antonio Carvalho.

The Sault has been host to many national and international sporting events, including the 2003 Eco-Challenge North American Championship, an expedition-length (350–500 km or 220–310 mi) adventure race through unmarked wilderness by biking, trekking, paddling and using ropes.