Description of Historic Place

Unveiled in 1924, the Sault Ste. Marie Cenotaph is a war memorial located on the north side of Queen Street East in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, in front of the Sault Ste. Marie District Courthouse, another heritage property in Sault Ste. Marie.

The Sault Ste. Marie Cenotaph has been recognized for its heritage value by the City of Sault Ste. Marie, By-law 2005-161

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the Sault Ste. Marie Cenotaph lies in its association with the sacrifice of local soldiers in three wars - the First, Second and Korean Wars. The Cenotaph is also of value as a sample of the work of the designer Alfred Howell, who designed three other Canadian war memorials, and for its association with Rudyard Kipling, who wrote an inscription for this memorial. Howell designed the Sault Ste. Marie memorial around a central bronze sculpture group that romantically depicts War as a crouching male under a 'Shield of Right' represented by a draped female holding a sword and a sprig of maple leaves. Side panels depict men reluctantly answering the call to arms and soldiers helping the wounded.

The central location and emotional significance of the Cenotaph make it a city landmark. Its site was sensitively re-designed in 1992.

Sources: Sault Ste. Marie Designation By-law 2005-161; Sault Ste. Marie Cenotaph Designation Report.

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements of the Sault Ste. Marie Cenotaph that relate to its heritage value include the:
- carved names of Algoma residents lost in the First, Second and Korean wars, located on the east and west sides of the Cenotaph's base
- central bronze group and side panels
- four line inscription specifically written by Rudyard Kipling for this memorial
- central location on the main street in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, adjacent to the sidewalk in front of the Courthouse