U.S. 61, Minnesota: Historic Alignments
The following articles serve as a guide to the surviving historic alignments of U.S. 61 in Minnesota. Each article includes history, maps, and photos.
The articles can be accessed from the map at right, or from the listing below Articles are ordered from north to south, grouped by the current road they can be found along.
This guide does not cover EVERY old alignment - i.e. those that have been destroyed, or are fully overgrown to the point where nothing is publicly visible. However, private drives and inaccessible roads are included because either: their entrance is easily visible from the main highway, or, surviving pavement is easily seen on up-to-date aerial photos.
Note: Only surviving alignments that I have personally visited are listed below.
Along the North Shore Scenic Drive
Article |
Length |
Bypassed |
| Gitchi Gami Trail - Tofte Segment | 0.60 miles | 1931 |
| Private Driveway at Tofte | 0.05 miles (private) | 1931 |
| Tofte Park Road (Co Rd 24) | 0.53 miles | 1931 |
| Birch Grove School Driveway NEW! (6/27/10) | 0.20 miles drivable, 0.10 miles walkable | 1931 |
| Old Service Drive at Schroeder NEW (7/16/10) | 0.10 miles | 1931 |
Along the I-35 Corridor - Duluth to Wyoming
Article |
Length |
Bypassed |
| Westgate Boulevard, Duluth | 1.0 miles (0.30 drivable, 0.70 walkable). | 1957 |
| Old Hwy 61 and Thompson Hill Road | 3.1 miles (not continuous). | 1948 |
Old Highway 61 - Wyoming to the St. Louis County Line |
113.35 miles (total length before construction of I-35). 4.8 miles of temporary connections. |
Between ca. 1959 and 1974. |
| Old Hwy 61 at the Carlton/St. Louis County Line | 0.55 miles | 1949 |
| Service Drive at Maki Road, Thompson Township | 0.15 miles, (0.10 miles drivable). | 1949 |
| Old 61 Between Scanlon and Carlton | 0.25 miles (none drivable). | 1957 |
| Market Street, Mahtowa | 0.55 miles of surviving pavement, 0.35 miles drivable. | 1951 |
| Rail Crossing Between Barnum and Mahtowa | 0.25 miles of surviving pavement (none drivable). | 1951 |
| Old Hwy 61 North of Barnum | 1.25 miles | 1953 |
| Moose Lake Service Drive | 0.35 miles | 1953 |
| Old Alignment South of Hinckley | 0.60 miles (none drivable) | 1949 |
| Old Alignment at Rock Creek | 1.15 miles | 1954 |
| North Service Drive at Rush City | 0.15 miles | 1954 |
| Alger Avenue, Rush City | 0.90 miles | 1927 |
| South Service Drive at Rush City | 0.10 miles | 1951 |
| Frontage Avenue, Stacy | 0.20 miles | 1949 |
