Tower of History

Completed in 1968 in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, the 210-foot Tower of History was built by St. Mary’s Catholic Church as part of an uncompleted Shrine of the Missionaries honoring Catholic missionaries in the Upper Peninsula. Designed by George Rafferty, it stands on the site associated with Jacques Marquette’s first log house and chapel. Renamed to broaden its appeal, the tower combines a modernist observation structure with museum space and sweeping views of the Soo Locks, St. Marys River, Lake Superior, and both sides of the border. Financial strain led to transfers in ownership, but it endures as a seasonal landmark, lookout, and local museum.

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan · United States