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M-95 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-95, designated as the Leif Erickson Memorial Highway, is a state trunkline highway
in the Upper Peninsula
of the US state of Michigan
. Running from Kingsford
to near Champion in Humboldt Township
, it is the main connection between Iron Mountain
and Marquette
along with US 41
.
M-95 was previously designated as M-45
. The number was switched when US 45
was designated in Michigan. The trunkline incorporates a portion of the former M-12
which became US 2
. A section of the highway near Republic was turned over to Marquette County
during a rerouting of the highway in the 1940s, becoming County Road 601.
, M-95 runs north along Carpenter Avenue in Kingsford. It turns east along Ludington Street in Iron Mountain and joins the US 2
/US 141
concurrency out of town to the north, following Stephenson Avenue. Near the state line northwest of Iron Mountain, M-95 turns northward as a solo route through northern Dickinson County
. There is a concurrency
with M-69
from Randville to Sagola. Randville is just south of the junction with M-69 where the mining settlement formed because of the nearby Groveland Mine and was a station on the Milwaukee and Northern Railroad in 1880. A post office was in operation in Randville from 1891 until 1932.
Near Sagola is a mill owned by Louisiana-Pacific
that makes oriented strand board
. The surrounding forest lands near the highway provide trees for the mill. Sagola was formed, when in about 1885, five Chicago men formed the Sagola Lumber Company to harvest pine timber in the area. The name was derived from the local Indian word for "welcome". A post office was first established there in 1889. North of Sagola is the community of Channing which began as a railroad junction called "Fort Siding". In 1892, a post office was established named Channing, after John Parke Channing, a mining engineer who surveyed the area.
M-95 crosses the Michigamme River
at the Marquette County line. It is here that M-95 also crosses over from the Central Time Zone
to the Eastern Time Zone
at the county line south of Witch Lake. From there it bypasses Republic
and the former Republic Mine Complex to the west. Republic is divided into two smaller communities of North Republic and South Republic by the mine complex. Known for its sandy beachfront along the Michigamme River west of downtown North Republic, the beach is located just upstream of the Republic Dam. In South Republic is a roadside park maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) that provides a picnic area and canoe access to the river. M-95 comes to an end north of a railroad crossing at an intersection named "Koski Corners".
designation. It was renumbered to avoid confusion with the then new US 45
designation in the Upper Peninsula. The original M-95 was an access route to Onaway State Park
which was redesignated as M-211
.
The original roadway that became today's M-95 started in Sagola and run northward to M-15
(today US 41/M-28). M-45 was extended by 1927 to replace portions of M-12
that were not used in US 2
. It would later be extended in 1932 to the state line south of Kingsford. The total of M-45 was converted to M-95 in 1934 as a realignment near Witch Lake is completed.
M-95 was rerouted in 1942 from Republic north to Humboldt Township. This new 7 miles (11 km) section replaced the last section of gravel roadway that was transferred to Marquette County as County Road 601. Another rerouting in the Republic area moved the trunkline in 1957 to bypass South Republic. The former roadway was partially closed to become part of the Republic Mine. M-69 was shortened, eliminating the concurrency with M-95 in 1960 or 1961. M-69 was re-extended back to its pre-1960 routing in 1991, restoring the concurrency in the process.
Michigan Highway System
The Michigan State Trunkline Highway System is made up of all the highways designated as Interstates, U.S. Highways and State Highways in the US state of Michigan. The system is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation and comprises of trunklines in all 83 counties of Michigan on...
in the Upper Peninsula
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
of the US state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Running from Kingsford
Kingsford, Michigan
Kingsford is a city in Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,549 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Iron Mountain, MI–WI Micropolitan Statistical Area....
to near Champion in Humboldt Township
Humboldt Township, Michigan
Humboldt Township is a civil township of Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 469 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, it is the main connection between Iron Mountain
Iron Mountain, Michigan
Iron Mountain is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,154. It is the county seat of Dickinson County, in the state's Upper Peninsula....
and Marquette
Marquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
along with US 41
U.S. Route 41 in Michigan
US Highway 41 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. In Michigan, it is a state trunkline highway that enters the state via the Interstate Bridge between Marinette, Wisconsin, and Menominee,...
.
M-95 was previously designated as M-45
M-45 (Michigan highway)
M-45 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that is also called Lake Michigan Drive. The highway runs from Agnew near Lake Michigan to the west side of Grand Rapids in the western Lower Peninsula. Lake Michigan Drive continues in each direction from M-45's termini, extending west...
. The number was switched when US 45
U.S. Route 45 in Michigan
US Highway 45 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from Mobile, Alabama, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. The highway forms a part of the state trunkline highway system that is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation . It enters the...
was designated in Michigan. The trunkline incorporates a portion of the former M-12
M-12 (Michigan highway)
M-12 is a former state highway in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was replaced in 1926 by:*U.S. Route 2 in Michigan between the state line at Ironwood and Crystal Falls*M-69 between Crystal Falls and Sagola...
which became US 2
U.S. Route 2 in Michigan
US Highway 2 is a component of the United States Numbered Highway System that connects Everett, Washington, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan, with a separate segment that runs from Rouses Point, New York, to Houlton, Maine...
. A section of the highway near Republic was turned over to Marquette County
Marquette County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Hiawatha National Forest * Huron National Wildlife Refuge* Ottawa National Forest -University:Northern Michigan University is a four-year university, established in 1899, located in Marquette, Michigan, on Michigan's Upper Peninsula...
during a rerouting of the highway in the 1940s, becoming County Road 601.
Route description
Starting on a bridge across the Menominee RiverMenominee River
The Menominee River is a river in northwestern Michigan and northeastern Wisconsin in the United States. It is approximately 118 mi , draining a rural forested area of northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan into Lake Michigan...
, M-95 runs north along Carpenter Avenue in Kingsford. It turns east along Ludington Street in Iron Mountain and joins the US 2
U.S. Route 2 in Michigan
US Highway 2 is a component of the United States Numbered Highway System that connects Everett, Washington, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan, with a separate segment that runs from Rouses Point, New York, to Houlton, Maine...
/US 141
U.S. Route 141
U.S. Route 141 is a north–south highway in the U.S. states of Michigan and Wisconsin. US 41 is its parent route. Its northern terminus, on US 41, is near Covington, Michigan; its southern terminus, with I-43 near Bellevue, Wisconsin; it remains in existence in Green Bay, Wisconsin as a...
concurrency out of town to the north, following Stephenson Avenue. Near the state line northwest of Iron Mountain, M-95 turns northward as a solo route through northern Dickinson County
Dickinson County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,472 people, 11,386 households, and 7,583 families residing in the county. The population density was 36 people per square mile . There were 13,702 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile...
. There is a concurrency
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with M-69
M-69 (Michigan highway)
M-69 is an east–west state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It connects with US Highway 2 on both ends in Crystal Falls and near Bark River. In between, the highway runs for in rural UP forest lands.Before the creation of the U.S. Highway System, the...
from Randville to Sagola. Randville is just south of the junction with M-69 where the mining settlement formed because of the nearby Groveland Mine and was a station on the Milwaukee and Northern Railroad in 1880. A post office was in operation in Randville from 1891 until 1932.
Louisiana-Pacific
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation , commonly known as "LP", is a United States building materials manufacturer. It was founded in 1973 and is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. LP pioneered the U.S. production of oriented strand board panels. Today, LP is the world’s largest producer of OSB, and...
that makes oriented strand board
Oriented strand board
Oriented strand board, also known as OSB and SmartPly , is an engineered wood product formed by layering strands of wood in specific orientations. In appearance, it may have a rough and variegated surface with the individual strips Oriented strand board, also known as OSB (UK) and SmartPly (UK &...
. The surrounding forest lands near the highway provide trees for the mill. Sagola was formed, when in about 1885, five Chicago men formed the Sagola Lumber Company to harvest pine timber in the area. The name was derived from the local Indian word for "welcome". A post office was first established there in 1889. North of Sagola is the community of Channing which began as a railroad junction called "Fort Siding". In 1892, a post office was established named Channing, after John Parke Channing, a mining engineer who surveyed the area.
M-95 crosses the Michigamme River
Michigamme River
The Michigamme River flows from Lake Michigamme in Marquette County, through Dickinson County, Michigamme Reservoir, Peavy Pond and Michigamme Lake in Iron County to the confluence of the Brule River where the Menominee River starts which can be viewed from the dam on Michigamme Lake...
at the Marquette County line. It is here that M-95 also crosses over from the Central Time Zone
Central Time zone
In North America, the Central Time Zone refers to national time zones which observe standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC , and daylight saving, or summer time by subtracting five hours...
to the Eastern Time Zone
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
at the county line south of Witch Lake. From there it bypasses Republic
Republic, Michigan
Republic is an unincorporated community in Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also a census-designated place for statistical purposes, covering a narrow, roughly crescent-shaped area along several miles of M-95...
and the former Republic Mine Complex to the west. Republic is divided into two smaller communities of North Republic and South Republic by the mine complex. Known for its sandy beachfront along the Michigamme River west of downtown North Republic, the beach is located just upstream of the Republic Dam. In South Republic is a roadside park maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
(MDOT) that provides a picnic area and canoe access to the river. M-95 comes to an end north of a railroad crossing at an intersection named "Koski Corners".
History
From its inception until 1934, M-95 held the M-45M-45 (Michigan highway)
M-45 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that is also called Lake Michigan Drive. The highway runs from Agnew near Lake Michigan to the west side of Grand Rapids in the western Lower Peninsula. Lake Michigan Drive continues in each direction from M-45's termini, extending west...
designation. It was renumbered to avoid confusion with the then new US 45
U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....
designation in the Upper Peninsula. The original M-95 was an access route to Onaway State Park
Onaway State Park
Onaway State Park is a state park in Presque Isle County, Michigan at the end of M-211 on Black Lake in North Allis Township 5 miles north of Onaway.-Facilities:* Boat Launch* Campground - 96 Sites, 1 Cabin* Picnic Area...
which was redesignated as M-211
M-211 (Michigan highway)
M-211 is a short state trunkline highway in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan that connects the community of Onaway with Onaway State Park. The highway runs through farmland and forest along the to the park. The trunkline was originally designated M-95 before 1934...
.
The original roadway that became today's M-95 started in Sagola and run northward to M-15
M-15 (Michigan highway)
M-15 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is a junction with US Highway 24 just south of Clarkston on the northwestern edge of the Detroit metropolitan area. The trunkline is a recreational route running north and northwest to the...
(today US 41/M-28). M-45 was extended by 1927 to replace portions of M-12
M-12 (Michigan highway)
M-12 is a former state highway in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was replaced in 1926 by:*U.S. Route 2 in Michigan between the state line at Ironwood and Crystal Falls*M-69 between Crystal Falls and Sagola...
that were not used in US 2
U.S. Route 2 in Michigan
US Highway 2 is a component of the United States Numbered Highway System that connects Everett, Washington, to the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan, with a separate segment that runs from Rouses Point, New York, to Houlton, Maine...
. It would later be extended in 1932 to the state line south of Kingsford. The total of M-45 was converted to M-95 in 1934 as a realignment near Witch Lake is completed.
M-95 was rerouted in 1942 from Republic north to Humboldt Township. This new 7 miles (11 km) section replaced the last section of gravel roadway that was transferred to Marquette County as County Road 601. Another rerouting in the Republic area moved the trunkline in 1957 to bypass South Republic. The former roadway was partially closed to become part of the Republic Mine. M-69 was shortened, eliminating the concurrency with M-95 in 1960 or 1961. M-69 was re-extended back to its pre-1960 routing in 1991, restoring the concurrency in the process.