Shingwauk residential school

Shingwauk residential school is a former boarding institution in Sault Ste. Marie now operated as a national historic site. The main building displays late-19th-century institutional architecture with stone walls, large windows, and multiple stories typical of that era's educational structures.

This institution opened in 1878 under Anglican Church direction and continued operating until 1970 as part of Canada's system for removing Indigenous children from their communities. After closure, the site became preserved as a memorial to acknowledge this period.

The site now serves as a place where visitors confront the reality of what happened to Indigenous children who were sent here. Walking through the grounds, you encounter spaces organized around the daily routines students experienced.

The grounds can be explored through guided tours that explain the purpose of different buildings. Plan to spend time viewing the interpretive exhibits and accessing the research centre, which houses documentation about the residential school system.

The property preserves the original cemetery, chapel, and principal's residence, which stand as physical remnants from the school's operating years. These structures give visitors direct insight into how the institution was organized.