St. Lawrence Seaway and New Lock Construction at the Soo

Instructor: Chuck Miller • American History

For the Great Lakes Region, the 1950s were noteworthy for two dramatic and game-changing events. For Michigan, the construction of the Toll Bridge over the Straits of Mackinac provided a huge boost to recreational and commercial opportunities, eliminating the traffic jams associated with the existing Ferry network. The late '50s and early '60s also saw the completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway Project, which opened up Canada and the Great Lakes to direct water-borne international trade on a grand scale by creating a "navigable Seaway" for commercial traffic from the head of Lake Superior to the Sea. Using Harsens Island as our discussion point, we will focus on the lingering environmental challenges brought about by that project.