Tower of History | |
---|---|
Former names | Tower of Missionaries |
General information | |
Type | Observation tower |
Architectural style | Modern architecture |
Address | 326 E. Portage Avenue |
Town or city | Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan |
Country | US |
Coordinates | 46°29′54″N 84°20′26″W / 46.4982°N 84.3405°W |
Completed | 1968 |
Cost | $1 million |
Owner | Le Sault De Sainte Marie Historical Sites, Inc. |
Height | 210 ft (64 m) |
Technical details | |
Material | Glass, steel, and reinforced concrete |
Floor count | 21 |
Lifts/elevators | 1 |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | George Rafferty |
Architecture firm | Progressive Design Associates, Saint Paul, Minnesota |
Developer | St. Mary's Catholic Church |
Website | |
www |
The Tower of History (originally the Tower of Missionaries) is a 210-foot (64 m) observation tower in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. [1] [2] [3] Located at 326 E. Portage Avenue, [1] it was the tallest observation tower in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan when completed in 1968. [4] [5] [6] The tower was built in a modernist style and consists of three vertical, trapezoid-shaped columns that support five cantilevered observation platforms. [7] It provides a panoramic, 360-degree view of the Soo Locks, the St. Mary's River, Lake Superior, and cities on both the American and Canadian sides of the border. [1] [2] [8] The view extends for roughly 20 miles (32 km); [6] [9] in total, approximately 1,200 square miles (3,100 km2) are visible from the tower. [10]
The Tower of History was built in 1968 by St. Mary's Catholic Church as part of a never-completed shrine to Catholic missionaries active in the Upper Peninsula that was to be named the Shrine of the Missionaries. [3] [11] [12] It was designed by George Rafferty of Saint Paul, Minnesota-based Progressive Design Associates, while Frank Kacmarcik served as the project's art consultant. [4] The tower was built on the site of Jacques Marquette's first log house and chapel. [4] [5] [6] It was initially estimated to cost just $50,000 to build, although this figure soon ballooned to over $600,000 once recommendations from the project's architect and consultants were factored in; [12] ultimately, the total cost rose to nearly $1 million. [4] [6]
The tower was planned to be complemented by a new church building and community center, although St. Mary's ultimately ended funding for the project. [10] From the beginning, it was conceived as both a historical and a tourist attraction. [13] The tower was originally intended to house a museum to 17th- and 18th-century missionaries as well as be connected to the planned new church building, effectively functioning as its steeple. [2] [12] Initially called the Tower of Missionaries, it was renamed the Tower of History to broaden its appeal to visitors. [5] The tower was initially projected to cover its costs by visitors paying $1 or $2 to experience the view from the observation platforms, but according to parishioner and building committee member Paul Ripley, the unforeseen oil crisis precluded the tourism growth that they expected. [12]
In 1971, due to the financial problems that St. Mary's was enduring, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette assumed responsibility for the tower. [14] [15] In 1972, its operation was reorganized and it became directed by a state-wide board of directors. Also at that time, the tower employed 10 college students as workers. [16] By 1975, it was attracting over 40,000 visitors a year. [7] In 1979, an advisory board to the Diocese of Marquette's administrative board recommended either closing the tower or donating it to a civic organization. [15] In 1980, the diocese donated it to Le Sault De Sainte Marie Historical Sites, Inc. (Sault Historic Sites). [10] [14] [15]
The Tower of History includes museum exhibits about Catholic missionaries, local history, and Native American history. [1] [2] [3] The museum exhibits and a video presentation are located on the tower's Lower Level, while three separate viewing platforms (both open-air and glassed-in) and additional exhibit space are located on the Upper Level. [9] [10] The tower features an express elevator that ascends to the viewing platforms in 45 seconds. [7] The Tower of History is open to the public between mid-May and mid-October. [2]