Sault Ste. Marie is known as the city where Michigan was born. Founded in 1668, the city has witnessed more than three centuries of progress from its location on the banks of the St. Marys River. This important waterway, which connects Lake Superior to the lower Great Lakes, is a lens through which one can view the region. Since well before its establishment, the Sault Ste. Marie area was a well-frequented Native American encampment used to enjoy the abundance of fish found in the river. In later years, after the establishment of the first Lock in 1855, the river saw the transport of all manner of commodities in the cargo holds of lake freighters and ocean-going vessels. In recent years, the river has seen more than 7,000 annual passages of freighters and other vessels that share the waterway with kayakers, paddlers, and anglers searching for salmon, walleye and other delicious fish.