Wednesday, July 15 – Can you believe it's the middle of July already? Summer's flying by! This morning we began our sightseeing here in Saulte Ste. Marie, MI, with a stop at Lake Superior State University (LSSU). LSSU is situated on 115-acre campus making it the smallest state university in Michigan. Enrollment is more than 2,500 undergraduates.
It sits on a high bluff overlooking the St. Mary's River and the International Bridge to Canada. The area that currently makes up the campus of Lake Superior State University served as Fort Brady from 1894 to 1944. The military base used during World War II as a defense base for the Soo Locks.
The view from the Student Center…International Bridge.
The institution is one of only three universities in the United States to offer the robotics specialization in the ABET/TAC accredited manufacturing engineering technology, electrical engineering, computer engineering, and mechanical engineering bachelor of science degrees. LSSU is home to one of the best robotics educational facilities in North America. Also, Lake State was the first in the country to offer an accredited four-year Fire Science program and is one of three such programs in the nation.
College of Science, Crawford Hall.
Student and Conference Center.
They've converted and remodeled many of the military buildings into classrooms, offices, and dormitories. What a great use for a closed military installation!
From Fort to Future, former officer's housing is now multidiscipline housing.
The former Fort Brady barracks is now a men's residence.
Again, Marsha found the landscaping awesome. She said she has never seen so many varieties of lilies.
We enjoyed our walk around campus and found it very beautiful. If you are in the area, take a walkabout. We think you will enjoy it.
After the University visit, we drove a short way down the street to see freighters passing through the famous Soo Locks. The Locks are used to raise and lower ships in the different water levels between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. There are nearly 11,000 vessels that pass through the Locks annually hauling 90 million tons of cargo.
Administration Building.
The four Locks operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers - the Davis, Sabin, MacArthur, and Poe locks. From the time a vessel approaches the lock until the time it leaves takes between 40-60 minutes. Once the vessel is secured inside the lock it takes 15-20 minutes to raise or lower the boat 21 feet (just over a foot a minute!). We watched vessels come and go from the brand-new observation platform situated at the Lock’s edge. It takes 22 million gallons of water to lift a boat.
Taken from a photo at the Soo Locks Visitor’s Center.
We watched a few freighters enter the locks from one end and exit the other. This tour boat came in from Lake Superior and travel through a lock to Lake Huron. The following photos will show how much the water level changes.
Tour boat entering from Lake Superior which is 21 feet higher than Lake Huron.
After the adjustment of the water level is made. Look at the back wall to see the difference in the water level.
Gates of the lock.
Ready to depart.
It's amazing to see these huge ships being raised or lowered in the Locks. This is another sight we really enjoyed and one we definitely recommend for fellow travelers.
Don’t miss the Soo Locks Visitor’s Center. It has excellent displays, information and pamphlets.
We will continue our tour of Saulte Ste. Marie in the next post. What a great area.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y’all back real soon. Have a great day!
Be sure to get a burger at West Pier!
ReplyDeleteWe really enjoyed seeing the locks. We took a day and rode the motorcycle up (back when we were still towing it with us). It is quite an operation. We've always enjoyed seeing the ships come and go in the locks. Riding through the locks is great fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry we didn't see the universtiy. What a great reuse of a place. I'm surprised that the enrollment isn't higher with the specialized programs. Thanks for showing us around:)
Had the opportunity to see some of the smaller locks in operation but never the larger ones. That must have been amazing to see.
ReplyDeleteBe Safe and Enjoy!
It's about time.
Looks like you had a great day for your adventures.
ReplyDeleteWe have checked out many lift locks, from the smaller ones to very large ones, they are amazing to see.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour.
We once experienced a lock from the inside. In Minneapolis is a canoe! It's a whole different perspective watching that wall get so high when you are so tiny.
ReplyDeleteWe were one of those tourist that took the boat tour and we enjoyed and learned a lot.
ReplyDeleteHope you are planning to take a drive across the border, the twin city Sault St Marie is a quaint little town.
Take the tourist boat tour, its a gas to go thru the locks on the boat.... It is quite an eye opener to go up river thru the canadian locks.. They are quite small and only accommodate small river traffic.... Anyway you will learn a lot on the tour boat.... We did it two years ago a couple of months before Loyce passed away.....
ReplyDeleteEnjoying The Photos! My X Caterpillar Boss works for Mich. Cat His office is in Novi he lives near Flint He hunts and Fishes in the UP We were on Mac Island back in the 1990s! Have a great summer. Were spending ours in Show Low See my FB Photos.
ReplyDeleteUsing water like an elevator. Locks never fail to fascinate me. Nice to see that a closed military installation was put to good use.
ReplyDeleteWe loved the Soo Locks and spent so much time just watching the different ships make their way in and out. You look like you're having a great summer.
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