Sault Ste. Marie in Algoma District, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
The Canal at war, 1914
Views to the Past
⎯⎯⎯
Le canal en guerre, 1914
Images du passé
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 11, 2024
1. The Canal at war, 1914 / Le canal en guerre, 1914 Marker
During the World Wars the canal was heavily guarded, to make sure the vital transportation link was secure. Local resident Mrs. Joyce Curry recalled her mother, who lived on the south side of the canal, telling her, "during the First World War... they had to go through a sentry" (a soldier on guard) while crossing through the canal to town. She could hear their sentry calls each hour. Local resident Mr. Earl Orchard recalls that American troops guarded the lock during the Second World War, "they had.... these great barrage balloons."
[image caption] Canadian soldiers guard the canal during World War One
Pendant les de'ux guerres mondiales, le canal était placé sous haute surveillance afin d'assurer la sécurité de cette voie de communication. Mme Joyce Curry, une habitante, se rappelle que sa mère, qui vivait du côté sud du canal, lui racontait : « Pendant la Première Guerre mondiale... ils devaient passer par une sentinelle » (un soldat de garde) pour traverser le canal et aller en ville. Chaque heure, elle pouvait entendre les injonctions de la sentinelle. M. Earl Orchard, un habitant, se souvient des troupes américaines qui gardaient l'écluse pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale : « Ils avaient... ces remarquables ballons de barrage. »
[légende d'image] Des soldats canadiens gardent le canal durant la Première Guerre mondiale
Erected by Parks
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, World I • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1914.
Location. 46° 30.794′ N, 84° 21.041′ W. Marker is in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in Algoma District. It can be reached from Canal Drive 0.7 kilometers south of Huron Street, on the left when traveling west. The marker is located along the interpretive walkway at the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Canal Drive, Sault Ste Marie ON P6A 6W4, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma Area and in Northern Ontario. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, in the Great North Woods, on Lake Superior’s North Shore, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Rupert’s Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 11, 2024
2. The Canal at war, 1914 / Le canal en guerre, 1914 Marker
Looking west; the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site Administration Office (formerly the Canal Administration Office) is in the background.
Also see . . . Sault Canal and the Great War (Parks Canada).
(By Jeanette Cowen) Excerpt: The City of Sault Ste. Marie was only two years old in 1914 and the Sault Ste. Marie Canal had been operating for less than twenty years however it was strategic enough to be considered a primary target for an enemy attack.(Submitted on May 14, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Ships passing through the busy Canadian lock at the time of WWI were carrying large loads of grain, coal, iron ore, and other raw materials. In fact 1913 saw freight peak at 42.7 million tons! Sabotaging this key transportation route could prove advantageous to the enemy and many officials feared this possibility. To address the vulnerability of the lock, the 51st Soo Rifles Regiment, under the command of Lt. Col. S.L. Penhorwood, was placed on duty and Superintendent J.W. LeBreton Ross hired additional linesmen at the canal to eliminate the need for passing ships to put their own linesmen ashore.
By December 1914, 140 officers and troops were stationed at the canal occupying several buildings as barracks. Troops manned several guard posts and access to the site was severely limited. However, the presence of the soldiers attracted the public’s attention and from time to time shooting and military demonstrations were staged. The canal grounds also served as a training camp with daily drills conducted to ready the soldiers for their eventual deployment overseas.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 14, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 14, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 129 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 14, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
