Opened in 1895, the Sault Ste. Marie Canal was one of eight main line canals along the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence system and formed the final link in an all-Canadian waterway from the Atlantic Ocean to the Lakehead. It was the first lock in the world to be operated by electricity, and its Powerhouse, which contained the electrical equipment, remains largely intact. The Emergency Swing Bridge Dam, used to protect the lock in the event of an accident, also retains much of its original built form.