Michigan’s popular Soo Locks Boat Tours under new ownership

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – There’s a company at the helm of the Original Soo Locks Boat Tours.

Interlake Maritime Services, through its new subsidiary, Soo Maritime Services, will now oversee operations of the tour boats Hiawatha, Bide-A-Wee and Holiday that have provided river and lock tours in the Upper Peninsula for more than six decades.

Interlake is also the parent company of Lake Michigan Carferry, which runs the historic S.S. Badger and its trips between Ludington and Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

The Original Soo Locks Boat Tours are a third-generation business owned and operated by the Welch Family. It has been a popular tourist attraction in Sault Ste. Marie since 1934 and the tours are expected to continue under the new ownership.

“The Soo area plays a vital role in Great Lakes shipping, and we’re excited to have new employees, new tour boats and a waterfront presence to continue the legacy of educating the public on the importance of the Soo Locks,” said Mark W. Barker, President of Interlake Maritime Services.

“We’re looking forward to working with the Soo team, which has built such a successful business in Michigan’s oldest city that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.”

Residents of the region may recognize the Barker name. Members of the Barker family have called the Soo home for many years, with relatives working as a local butcher and aboard the supply boat that once serviced the Great Lakes vessels.

Furthermore, the Interlake Steamship Company’s fleet has been carrying cargo that has helped power the region for more than 100 years. The ships are regularly seen coming through the Soo Locks during the shipping season.

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