[king of mirage]

Hi ..

I have been accepted to LSSU. I understand that the weather is my big challenge there. But what else we will expect beside that .. I am moving with 3 kids the oldest one is in 3rd grad, and we are moving from Los Angeles CA.

Is there any area to be avoided when I am looking for an apartment or house ??

any advice will be great to see ..

Thanks a lot ..

[ManoftheNorth]

Hi, welcome to Sault Ste. Marie!
The Soo is a great historic community, the oldest city in Michigan (founded 1668) and one of the oldest in the Midwest. The Soo is within 50 miles of three Great Lakes, and surrounded by beautiful wilderness.
Sault Ste. Marie, MI by aeverett55, on Flickr
Downtown Sault Ste. Marie 5 by aeverett55, on Flickr

Not really any dangerous areas in the Soo. Crime happens here and there, but it isn't localized in any specific neighborhood. Nothing to worry about really, crime here isn't anything like you'd see in a big city.
Any part of the city of Sault Ste. Marie and most of the surrounding townships are fine to live in. The Rudyard area school district (Rudyard and Kinross townships) has a bad reputation in the area, though I'm sure it isn't anything like a bad school district in an inner city area or anything.
Living in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan will be a lot different then living in LA. Sault Ste. Marie is the second biggest city in the UP with a population around 14,000. It's over five hours drive from the nearest major city, (347 miles to Detroit), so isolation might be an issue. Get a passport if you don't have one already have one, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario is right across the border and is a much bigger town (around 75,000). They have the only mall in the area. Other then the Twin Soos, there aren't any other towns with more then 3,000 people for several hours drive.

It's a lot colder in the Upper Peninsula then it is in LA. I still have a little snow in my yard, though this has been one of the coldest winters on record. Expect snow on the ground from at least late November to late March, some years for longer. On the flipside, we only get temperatures over 90 a couple of days a year in the summer, and mid to high 80's for about two months.

Edison Hydro plant on a snowy day by aeverett55, on Flickr
001 by aeverett55, on Flickr

Hunting, fishing, boating, and snowmobiling are all very popular activities here. Hockey is a big deal in the Soo, LSSU has an accomplished team and the city is also home to a junior league hockey team (The Soo Eagles).
The area is surrounded by forests, so seeing wild animals is pretty common. Bald Eagles are a not uncommon sight (I've had a family hanging out in my backyard the last few years in a row every November)
Bald Eagles by aeverett55, on Flickr


There are wonderful natural wonders nearby such as the Tahquamenon Falls and the Pictured Rocks lakeshore, not to mention beautiful Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.

Tahquamenon Falls - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You'll want to check out Mackinac Island when you are in the area too, it's pretty amazing.

P9130166 by aeverett55, on Flickr

If you love boats and ships, the Soo is a great place to be. The Lake Huron and Lake Superior water systems connect here, so any ships wanting to pass from Superior to the other lakes have to cross here at the Soo locks. Ship traffic is an everyday sight here.

Freighter American Century by aeverett55, on Flickr
Tall Ships 05 by aeverett55, on Flickr
The Locks X by aeverett55, on Flickr

[ManoftheNorth]

One of my favorite things about the Soo is how the downtown area is surrounded by a power canal, making it an island:

Canal Reflection by aeverett55, on Flickr
PA020145 by aeverett55, on Flickr
Downtown by aeverett55, on Flickr

Not sure what kind of housing you are interested in. There are a few apartment buildings (such as this 1903 former bank building http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adams_B...arie,_Michigan) )
downtown 2 by aeverett55, on Flickr
But most people live in single family homes around here. The housing stock closer to the downtown is mostly older, pre-war and some 19th century houses:
P9280040 by aeverett55, on Flickr

There are some newer (Post war) homes further out from the downtown, and then there are rural farmhouses with nice big yards on the edge of town and in the surrounding townships.

[king of mirage]

Hi ManoftheNorth,

Thanks a lot, great pictures by the way love them ... I was thinking about apartments near Lincoln Elementary school, where I think my daughter will attend .. but I will keep looking further more in all the area..

[ManoftheNorth]

Originally Posted by king of mirage

Hi ManoftheNorth,

Thanks a lot, great pictures by the way love them ... I was thinking about apartments near Lincoln Elementary school, where I think my daughter will attend .. but I will keep looking further more in all the area..

The closest apartment complex to Lincoln school is probably this one on Bingham street Bingham (616 Bingham Ave) - Sault Sainte Marie, MI - Michigan Housing Locator by MSHDA (0.6 miles, 12 minute walk or 3 minute drive), though it does look like they have a waitlist. This one downtown has a couple of units free Park Place City Center (416 Ashmun Street, Suite F) - Sault Ste. Marie, MI - Michigan Housing Locator by MSHDA and there are a few other apartment complexs with vacancies Sault Sainte Marie Apartments otherwise you might want to start looking at single family homes.

[JIMANDTHOM]

Oh we are so envious of your adventure.

We went to school at LSSC(before the U) and loved every minute of living there. Admittedly we were students then and away from home.

While a long winter drove us a bit crazy toward the end each year, the first 60 and sunny day is a glorious reawakening. We really did get a bit crazed on those days. The late spring, summer and early fall weather is close to perfection.

The Soo is very high up on our retirement plans. Sorry I can't help much with your question as we haven't lived there for many years and maybe we are looking at things through rose colored glasses. Our visits have invigorated our are fondness the UP. Living in the Soo, as elsewhere, is mostly what you choose to make of it.

Best of all to you.

[cmuguy25]

To avoid? I don't think you will run into much of an issue with crime. Like ManOfTheNorth said, the only thing I would be concerned is with school districts. Just make sure you get the district you want for your kids. The Soo is extremely safe, as is much, if not all of the U.P.

[king of mirage]

Originally Posted by ManoftheNorth

The closest apartment complex to Lincoln school is probably this one on Bingham street Bingham (616 Bingham Ave) - Sault Sainte Marie, MI - Michigan Housing Locator by MSHDA (0.6 miles, 12 minute walk or 3 minute drive), though it does look like they have a waitlist. This one downtown has a couple of units free Park Place City Center (416 Ashmun Street, Suite F) - Sault Ste. Marie, MI - Michigan Housing Locator by MSHDA and there are a few other apartment complexs with vacancies Sault Sainte Marie Apartments otherwise you might want to start looking at single family homes.

Ok .. I will keep it in mind about the single family house..

Originally Posted by JIMANDTHOM

Oh we are so envious of your adventure.

We went to school at LSSC(before the U) and loved every minute of living there. Admittedly we were students then and away from home.

While a long winter drove us a bit crazy toward the end each year, the first 60 and sunny day is a glorious reawakening. We really did get a bit crazed on those days. The late spring, summer and early fall weather is close to perfection.

The Soo is very high up on our retirement plans. Sorry I can't help much with your question as we haven't lived there for many years and maybe we are looking at things through rose colored glasses. Our visits have invigorated our are fondness the UP. Living in the Soo, as elsewhere, is mostly what you choose to make of it.

Best of all to you.

Thanks a lot JIM.. I will keep in mind what you said about the winter and hope it will be fine

Originally Posted by cmuguy25

To avoid? I don't think you will run into much of an issue with crime. Like ManOfTheNorth said, the only thing I would be concerned is with school districts. Just make sure you get the district you want for your kids. The Soo is extremely safe, as is much, if not all of the U.P.

The school district will be Sault Ste Marie district and they have 3 elementary schools, they told me to choose anyone based on my new home address .. so I hope it will be fine ..

Thanks a lot cmuguy