About Algoma

History of the Area

The Algoma District of Ontario is located on the northern shore of Lake Huron and the eastern shore of Lake Superior. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it was a centre of the North American fur trade, with trading companies and Native groups jockeying for control of the strategic waterways connecting Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Hudson's Bay. In the nineteenth century, lumber and mining began to dominate the region, and when Canada was confederated in 1867, Sault Ste. Marie -- the sole accessible connection between eastern and western Canada -- was a growing shipping city, with lumber and iron ore being transported by rail from as far as Hearst and ships traversing the rapids of the St. Mary's River through a lock system. The Trans-Canada Highway was built in the early twentieth century, allowing a provincial system of roads to develop into a connection between Halifax, Montreal, and Toronto to the east, and Winnipeg, Regina, and Vancouver to the west. Today, Sault Ste. Marie -- the centrepiece of Algoma -- is a largely union town, taking goods from Sudbury and Wawa and sending them through the bustling inland seas. It is perfect for the cosmopolitan traveller, the outdoors enthusiast, or the student of history. Join us in celebrating the place where lakes and rivers meet!