 By Mitchell Harris
It is a peculiar and little-known fact that the first president of the Consolidated Lake Superior Company may have played a minor role in the downfall of the Russian Empire during World War One. His life, as one biographer put it, was "stranger than one would dare to put in a novel.” (1)
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 On Friday, June 25th 1966, the new Teen Centre opened at 79 Pim Street. The owner of the club, Joe Bumbacco, modelled the club after ones he saw in New York and Winnipeg. Half dance hall, half restaurant - a place where teens could go four days a week from 9:30 PM until 1 AM. Food and beverages were served in the seating area, while the dance floor and stage were located on the other side of the room.
The opening night was described as “packed, even though there were two other dances in town.” Three bands played to a crowd of 200 that night: The Rogues, More or Less and the Odds and Ends.  Many of the people of Sault Ste. Marie were shocked at the City’s decision to shutter a longstanding organization this month - The Sault Downtown Association. Shaping the downtown for 49 years, the DTA was responsible for many of the yearly events that have become staples in the community, including Moonlight Magic and the vibrant downtown street parties and sidewalk sales held every summer. They made their mark through community events, but also as a unified voice for those who live and work downtown.
 Sault Ste. Marie is fortunate to be situated in a beautiful and naturally diverse location - a feature that has drawn people to this area for over a century. The city maintains 74 park locations - including the beloved public beach at Pointe Des Chenes.
 Andrew Lars Virene in front of the original Virene's store on Gore Street. Photo from the Sault Museum Collection. Andrew Lars Virene was born in Sweden in 1855. He immigrated to Cadillac, Michigan, with his wife Elna in 1883. He and his family moved to Sault Ste. Marie in 1902 and became naturalized citizens of Canada in 1910. Upon his arrival in the Sault, he worked as an interpreter for the sizeable local Scandinavian population and then at a local clothing store - Pratt Limited.
 Ashmun Street 1890s, from the Superior View Archive Collection Have you seen this image captioned as Queen Street 1890s circulating social media? While this image is technically Sault Ste. Marie, it is not on this side of the border! The image pictured shows Ashumn St. in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
There are many reasons as to why this image was misidentified and how the incorrect information spread. As one of the few locations in Sault Ste. Marie that houses a research library and an extensive archive, we at the Museum figured that it was time to make a post for the community about where to find the best resources for historical information and what the different types of sources are.  Many would be surprised to know that there is a common link between the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), and Sault Ste. Marie. That link was architect Jules Paivio.
 This autumn marks an important anniversary for a well-known Sault Ste. Marie landmark, Mockingbird Hill Pioneer Farm. The Landslide Road farm has been a long-standing fixture in Sault Ste. Marie for decades, known for its picturesque sights, historical buildings and the infamous goat walks. Just as famous in Sault Ste. Marie as the farm itself is the owner, Robert Cuerrier, fondly referred to for the past few decades as Farmer Bob.
By Justin Brett  While the Sault is a small city and typically seen as a friendly one, unfortunately, crime can and does still happen here. This isn't always historic, obviously, but one famous crime became the subject of debate when it happened, and is still somewhat relevant today. That is the case of Angelina Napolitano.
 Northern Ontario, and Sault Ste. Marie in particular, has had a thriving Finnish population for more than a century. A 1928 article from the Sault Daily Star suggested that at one time, Sault Ste. Marie’s immigrant population was as much as 25% Finnish. By 1930, approximately 2000 Finns called Sault Ste. Marie "home".
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