Born 1897, Wesley Hill would become one of the Sault’s most dedicated public servants, leaving an indelible mark on the city’s infrastructure and political landscape

From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:

Born in Prince Township on April 24th, 1897, to parents Ira Hill and Mary Jane Hill (nee Wilson), Wesley was born on a family farm and was heavily involved with the day-to-day operations. During World War I, he was exempted from military service to continue his farming duties. However, Hill still took Reserve Force training in the event he was released from his farming services.

When Hill was 24, he began working at Algoma Steel as a labourer. Hill would then work as a heater in the Coke ovens for 8 years and then in the Benzol Plant for 7 years. Hill would go on to become foreman of the Coke ovens and, finally, the General Foreman of the Coke Ovens and the Benzol by-products.

Hill was very active in local municipal politics when he became an Alderman in 1932. He served on City Council for 11 years in total: 8 years representing Ward 6 and 3 years representing Ward 5. Additionally, Hill would serve as Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission. Hill was appointed Sault Ste. Marie’s first Traffic Commissioner under Mayor W. J. McMeeken. Under his management, the city’s first traffic lights were installed, and they began to shift the Sault Ste. Marie’s transportation system went from streetcars to buses.

Hill also ran for mayor three times, all of which were unsuccessful. The first run was in 1946; the final run was in 1961 against James McIntyre, which Hill lost by a narrow margin of 426 votes. Wesley Hill would pass away in August of 1978 at the age of 81, leaving behind decades of service to the city of Sault Ste. Marie.

This article was written using information compiled from the Sault Star Archive Collection at the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library.

Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provide SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.

Find out more about what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more “Remember This?” columns here.