On the eastern end of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, you’ll find Chippewa County, a wonderland of unspoiled natural beauty, world-renowned landmarks, and over a thousand years of Native American history. The county covers 2,698 square miles, has 456 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, 34 inland lakes over 50 acres in size, and nearly 458,000 acres of public recreation land. There are 11 marinas and 7 first-class golf courses.
Chippewa County was organized in 1827 and is the second-largest county in Michigan with a land area of 1,651 square miles. It holds claim to 169 inland lakes and 800 miles of streams. Three of the state’s largest islands are within the boundaries of Chippewa County. It is a great place for hunting, fishing, and any outdoor activity in all four seasons. About 37,000 people live in the county.
Sault Ste. Marie, the county seat, is the oldest city in Michigan. It is home to the world-famous Soo Locks. Nearly a million visitors each year come to marvel at one of engineering’s greatest feats as giant ships from around the world make their way through one of the great wonders of the world, still the largest & one of the busiest waterway traffic systems on earth!
Hundreds of years before the white man’s presence, Huron, Ottawa, Sioux, Sauk, Fox, and other Indian tribes visited this Chippewa capital.
Today Chippewa County is home to Lake Superior State University, providing a superior blend of liberal and technical studies in the natural setting on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. LSSU offers undergraduate degrees in 45 areas of study that attract students from every county in Michigan, more than a dozen states and provinces, and nine nations. LSSU is Michigan’s most personal public university emphasizing an undergraduate experience provided by a fully-qualified faculty and a dedicated staff.
Bay Mills Community College is located on the southeastern shore of Lake Superior, within the Bay Mills Indian Community. As Michigan’s first fully accredited, tribally controlled college, BMCC meets the educational needs of a wide variety of students, from its remote, rural Main Campus, West Campus, off-campus sites, and online courses.
Recently celebrating its 60th anniversary, the International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie serves as a gateway to international culture and history and an express lane into Canada, America’s largest trading partner. It is an essential transportation link to the steel, paper, and forest industries, to tourism-reliant businesses, and to the general public for work, recreation, and shopping purposes.
Since the Sault crossing is near the Trans-Canada Highway, it is a convenient route for goods going by truck from Northeastern and Eastern Ontario, as well as Northern Quebec and the Montreal area, to the Upper Great Lakes states.
Top-rated MyMichigan Health Sault Ste. Marie (formerly War Memorial Hospital) has served the region for more than 100 years and employs about 900 individuals who are deeply committed to delivering patient-focused care. Home to an 82-bed acute care hospital, a 51-bed Long Term Care unit, a 30,000-square foot Rehabilitation Center, and several satellite clinics located throughout the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Safe, family-oriented communities in the region provide a wide array of fun activities, headliners appear throughout the year at entertainment venues, numerous arts and cultural events add richness to life and sports programs abound for all ages. Award-winning schools provide progressive education in safe and modern facilities.
Enjoy any of our four seasons of recreation including boating, snowmobiling, 4-wheeling, golf, fishing, cross-county skiing, swimming, shopping, or just relaxing.
