HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
Operating since 1902 at the address once called the Bucket of Blood Saloon, Sault Ste. Marie's oldest bar ran a Prohibition-era speakeasy and brothel — staff report two persistent presences and a physical encounter on the kitchen stairs.
804 E. Portage Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Bar and restaurant pricing. No separate admission for visiting.
Access
Limited Access
Historic commercial building. Call ahead to confirm current accessibility.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1902 · Bucket of Blood Saloon (est. 1902) · Prohibition-Era Speakeasy and Brothel (1920–1933) · One of Sault Ste. Marie's Longest-Operating Commercial Addresses on Portage Ave
The address at 804 E. Portage Avenue has been a commercial establishment since 1902, when it operated under the blunt name Bucket of Blood Saloon — a type of establishment name common in frontier-adjacent communities of the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region, typically indicating a rough-trade bar where violence was not unusual.
During Prohibition, beginning in 1920, the saloon's operators adapted to enforcement pressure by converting the visible storefront to an ice cream parlor while continuing to serve alcohol and, according to both 99wfmk and the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau, operating a brothel in the building. This dual-use arrangement — legitimate front, illegal operations behind or above — was standard Prohibition-era practice in border communities like Sault Ste. Marie, which sat adjacent to the Canadian border and had ready access to alcohol from across the St. Mary's River.
The establishment transitioned through multiple names and operators across the twentieth century and now operates as The Antlers Restaurant, retaining the historic character of the space. It is commonly cited as one of the oldest continuously operating bar and dining addresses in Sault Ste. Marie.
Sources
The Antlers is associated with two distinct female presences according to accounts from staff and the Sault Ste. Marie CVB. Both are attributed to the building's Prohibition-era operational history: one believed to be a woman who worked in the brothel that occupied the building during the 1920s and early 1930s, and one identified as a former waitress. Neither has been assigned a specific name in the published accounts reviewed for this record.
The physical phenomena include doors opening and closing without apparent cause and objects moving from where they were placed. The most notable account involves a staff member who was pushed on the kitchen stairs — a physical-contact claim distinguishing The Antlers from establishments where the phenomena remain auditory or visual. The CVB's documentation of this incident reflects a relatively high-confidence level for physical-contact paranormal claims in an officially recognized tourism context.
The building's layered history — rough frontier saloon, Prohibition speakeasy, brothel — provides a context in which multiple presences might be expected by paranormal investigators. The two reported figures align loosely with the two operational populations of the Prohibition era: those who worked in the bar and those in the brothel above or adjacent to it.
Notable Entities
The Antlers is an operating bar and restaurant in downtown Sault Ste. Marie at an address with documented history back to 1902. The building's exterior and public areas reflect its layered commercial history. The site is accessible as a working establishment with no separate admission.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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