The Chippewa County Courthouse is a historic government building located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It was built in 1877, designed by Detroit architect William Scott and his son John. In 1904, a rear addition was added to the structure by R. C. Sweat, and in approximately 1930, a second addition was constructed. The courthouse was completely renovated in the 1980s, with its original tin ceilings and ornate cast iron capitals preserved. The three-story Second Empire building features a mansard roof, contrasting red-colored stone accents, and a center entrance set in a slightly projecting pavilion topped with a pediment. It is one of the oldest courthouses still in use in Michigan and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Sault Ste. Marie, the county seat of Chippewa County, is the second-most populated city in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula after Marquette. With a population of 14,144 at the 2010 census, Sault Ste. Marie is also considered the oldest city in Michigan, settled as early as 1668 by French colonists and Jesuit missionaries. The Ojibwe (Chippewa) Native Americans had lived in the area for centuries, referring to it as Baawitigong, which means “at the cascading rapids.” After its settlement, French colonists renamed the region Saulteaux, “rapids” in French. The settlement became a center for the fur trade in the 18th century and attracted Ojibwe and Ottawa, Métis, and ethnic Europeans of various nationalities.
The settlement was a two-tiered society, with fur traders and their families, and upper-class Ojibwe in the upper echelon. After the US-UK Joint Boundary Commission fixed the border in 1817, the American and Canadian communities of Sault Ste. Marie were each incorporated as independent municipalities toward the end of the 19th century. The falls proved a choke point for shipping between the Great Lakes, and early ships traveling to and from Lake Superior were portaged around the rapids. However, the first American lock, the State Lock, was built in 1855 and instrumental in improving shipping. The lock has been expanded and improved over the years.
The city’s economy diversified over time, and in 1900, the Northwestern Leather Company opened a tannery in Sault Ste. Marie, founded to process leather for the upper parts of shoes, which was finer than that for soles. After the factory closed in 1958, the property was sold to Filborn Limestone, a subsidiary of Algoma Steel Corporation. The Pullar Community Building opened in 1939 and held an indoor ice rink composed of artificial ice, a revolutionary concept at the time, which is still owned by the city.
Sault Ste. Marie is also home to the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, which represents the northern terminus of Interstate 75. This portion of the river contains the Soo Locks, as well as a swinging railroad bridge. The city is home to Lake Superior State University and contains a number of historic sites, including the Chippewa County Courthouse.
Overall, the Chippewa County Courthouse is a significant historical and architectural structure in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Its preservation and continued use serve as a reminder of the area’s history and development over the centuries.
Posted by Billy Wilson Photography on 2023-04-09 00:42:13