Historic U.S. Highway 65: Old Road at Geneva

Old Road at Geneva

Located On:

  • 5th Street NE in the city of Geneva - btwn Co Rd 45 and 802nd Ave.
  • 802nd Ave between 5th St NE and 330th St
  • Private driveway at a farm just north of the intersection of 802nd Ave and 330th St

Historic Context: Old county road taken over as a temporary trunk highway in 1921.

Length:. 0.78 miles.

Constructed: Graded and graveled as a county job in 1919.

Also On:

Bypassed: In 1928 or 1929 upon the opening of the first permanent trunk highway (now Co Rd 45).

Status: 0.28 miles maintained in original condition on 802nd Ave. 0.12 miles on 5th St NE in Geneva intact but paved. 0.1 miles rebuilt as a private farm driveway. Remainder lost.

Access:

  • South end: Directly from Co Rd 45 at 5th St NE in Geneva.
  • North End: Via 330th Street, about 0.1 miles east of Co Rd 45.

Photo Tour - Taken by the author in August, 2011.

We start the tour at the south end of the old road on County Road 45 in Geneva at the intersection with 5th Street NE.


Looking north at 5th Street NE and County Road 45 in Geneva. The original road in use by U.S. 65 made a hard curve to the right here onto 5th Street.


Looking east on 5th Street NE. The road here does not appear to have been rebuilt, but has been paved.


When 5th Street reaches the edge of town, the pavement ends, and the road makes a very sharp curve to the north, becoming 802nd Avenue.


Looking north on 802nd Avenue, the old road out of town.


Another view to the north on the way out of Geneva. The road here appears to still be in its original condition from the 1920's.


The public section of the old road ends when it hits 330th Street (see map above). The old road once continued north onto what is now a private farm driveway, eventually merging onto County Road 45. The northern most part of the road has been destroyed and the right-of-way recultivated (mouse over the image above to see how the road looked in 1938 - note how 330th Street once ended at the original highway).


Looking north across 330th Street onto the private farm driveway that uses part of the old right-of-way.

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