[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 82 (Friday, May 18, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E687]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CELEBRATING THE 350TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SETTLEMENT OF SAULT SAINTE 
                                 MARIE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACK BERGMAN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 18, 2018

  Mr. BERGMAN. Mr. Speaker, it's my honor to recognize the city of 
Sault Sainte Marie upon the occasion of its 350th Anniversary. Through 
three and a half centuries of community investment and growth, the Soo 
has become an indispensable part of the Upper Peninsula and the state 
of Michigan.
  For centuries before the arrival of Europeans, the area now known as 
Sault Sainte Marie was inhabited by Chippewa Native Americans. In 1668, 
French missionaries Jacques Marquette and Claude Dablon founded a 
Jesuit mission near the rapids of the St. Mary's River--establishing 
the oldest permanent settlement in what is now the state of Michigan. 
The first look connecting Lake Superior to Lake Huron was constructed 
in 1855, and since then a steady flow of goods and materials have 
flowed through this critical junction. Over its 350 years, the 
settlement grew from a mission and base for fur trappers into a modern 
city and major artery for the industry of the Great Lakes.
  In honor of the Soo's semiseptcentennial, the city is hosting a 
variety of events and celebrations throughout the year. The festivities 
kicked off with the ball drop that welcomed the New Year, and has 
already included the 50th Annual I-500 Snowmobile Race and the annual 
opening of the Soo Locks. From July 20th to the 27th, the city will 
host a week-long 350th Festival filled with history, games, kids' 
entertainment, music, and food. The closing ceremonies for the year-
long festivities will be December 16, 2018, with a performance at 
Pullar Stadium and the closing of the Semiseptcentennial Time Capsule.
  Mr. Speaker, day after day, the city of Sault Sainte Marie continues 
to set a positive example of what can be achieved when the people of a 
community work together for the common good. It's my honor to 
congratulate them for their 350 years of success and community growth. 
On behalf of my constituents, I wish the Soo all the best as it 
ventures into the future.

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