Valley Camp

On Thursday I headed north for a brief visit to the Upper Peninsula.  It's almost, but not quite, color tour time.  The trees are about 10% changed.  My goal, however, was less about color than about visiting a couple lighthouses.  Since I am part of the historical society at Presque Isle, and responsible for the group's publicity, I want to see how other lighthouse operators are presenting their facilities.

The Valley Camp is moored on the river at Sault Ste. Marie.

My first stop, however, was Sault Ste. Marie (sault is French for rapids).  Until the Soo Locks were built, people and goods had to be portaged around the rapids on the St. Mary River, at the place where Lake Superior's water flows downhill — some 21 feet — into Lakes Huron and Michigan.  While waiting for my Locks Tour to depart, I spent a pleasant hour and a quarter aboard the Valley Camp.

The Valley Camp is a retired freighter tied up along the riverfront in downtown "American Soo."  It has been transformed into a museum of Great Lakes lore.  Given the size of the vessel, there is a lot to see!  In the time available I could view only a small portion of the ship and its contents.  Yet I saw enough to convince me that serving aboard a lake freighter is hard work, especially if you're down in the engine room!

Put on your walking shoes!  This is a large museum!

Hungry beast, she was.  Valley Camp would have to be
resupplied with coal more than once a week.

The coal drove this machinery, which in turn drove the ship.
You would have to love big engines to work here!

The exhibits are more informative than artistic.  The place has the feel of a small town museum put together by local people who are passionate about their subject.  And it's amazing how much stuff they have collected and put on display!  At one end of the ship I found a quite extensive treatment of the Point Iroquois Light Station, which was my destination on the following day.  At the other end is a nicely done display on the St. Lawrence Seaway, of which the Soo Locks are an essential component.  In between is a lot of material on Great Lakes navigation and, alas, all those shipwrecks.

Navigational aids come in all sizes — from big (like
lighthouses) to small lights in essential places.

The Point Iroquois Light Station is a
Michigan legend, and my Friday destination.

For those traveling Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the Valley Camp is well worth a couple hours.  You can explore the crew's quarters, too.  Unfortunately, I did not have time.  In addition to the boat tours located next door, the Tower of History is just a couple blocks away.  Like the Valley Camp, the Tower is owned and operated by Sault Historic Sites.  Built in 1968, this 210-foot-tall building presents the history of Native American peoples and Christian missionaries in the Soo area, and affords spectacular views in all directions around both American and Canadian Soo. •••