Andrew+Erber

    Andrew Erber Michigan History  The Soo Locks to most people are a very boring place, where there isn’t much to do or see. However, I think it’s a very cool place that relaxes me. My first memory I will never forget is of the actual Locks themselves. The Locks are actually a very cool and amazing machine. The Locks can raise and lower giant vessels 21 feet very easily, and do it in relatively short time. One of the coolest things to see while visiting the locks is when you see your first freighter go through the locks. Giant freighters like the one I remember are the main boats that use the Locks. Every freighter is very unique in its own ways. Each one has a different name and logo, as well as having a ship flag unique to each freighter. I enjoy just finding a place where I can see the freighters coming into the Locks, and just sitting there and watching them.
 * [|General Mortors]
 * [|Farming in Michigan]

 I will never forget the meals I've had at my two favorite restaurants in Sault Ste. Marie. The first restaurant I like to eat at is Maloney’s Alley. Maloney’s Alley is an Irish style pub/bar type of place where there is always a game on, and is decorated with apparel and various jerseys from Lake Superior State University. The other restaurant I like is called Antler’s Restaurant and Gift Shop. Antler’s is a very cool place, it has stuffed wild game all over the walls along with a ton of antlers of course. I’ve seen bear, deer, fish, goat, caribou, moose, elk, wolverine, and even a few more exotic animals like a lion. There are many myths and legends about how Antler’s got the way it is now. The most popular legend about Antler’s is that it got all of the decorations by barter. This meaning that back in the day bartenders at Antler’s Restaurant would trade drinks and food for rifles, antlers, antiques, wild game, or whatever else the customer had.

 Another great experience I had was of the Lake Superior State University ice rink. Whenever my family and I visit the Locks, we always try to see the Lakers play a game. The rink is kinda small, but there is always a lot of students at the game that are very crazy, which makes the game extremely fun. Instead of the typical pep band, LSSU has a legit rock band complete with electric guitars, basses, and drums. The coolest part about this is that the band members are just regular students that go to LSSU, and anyone can play in it. At one of the games we went to there was about 15 people playing in the band, and at a another one there was only about 5. So every game is different, but every game is nothing but fun.

 The last memory of the Soo is the International Bridge. The International Bridge connects Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to its twin city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The bridge itself is 2. 8 miles long, and it crosses over the St. Mary’s River. The bridge is a double truss arch while crossing over the four American Locks, while it only being a single truss arch when crossing over the one Canadian Lock. This bridge provides a very unique view of the locks, more of an aerial view of them. Every year there is a giant event that allows anybody who wants to, to walk across the bridge. Now I’ve never personally walked across this bridge, or even know of anyone who has, but from what I’ve read online it is supposed to be a one of a kind experience, and one of the best bridges in America to walk across. Now even though I’ve never walked across it, I have driven across it about four to six times. On the Canadian side of the Locks there is a great big mall that my family and I like to go and walk around at. There was this one time while we were there that I will never forget. It was over winter break and we were just walking around the mall when we see this kid carrying a hockey stick with him. This kid made my entire family laugh because you will only see a kid walking around in a mall while carrying a hockey stick in Canada.

These places and memories are what makes Sault Ste. Marie “pure Michigan” as they say. Sault Ste. Marie is a very special place to me and I will always cherish the memories I’ve made there and I hope to create new ones that are just as good or better.