The Chicago Road

The Chicago Road (HM17UR)

Location: Bronson, MI 49028 Branch County
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Country: United States of America
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N 41° 51.859', W 85° 13.623'

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Inscription
One of the great routes for the pioneers coming west was the Chicago Road. The survey of the road began at Detroit in 1825 and followed closely the Sauk Trail which Indians had marked and traveled for centuries before the coming of the white man. Because of its many curves the road was likened to "a huge serpent, lazily pursuing its onward course, utterly unconcerned as to its destination." Originally designed as a military highway linking the forts at Detroit and Chicago, the road proved to be more important in opening southern Michigan to settlement and as a westward land route enabling travelers to avoid the long voyage by boat around lower Michigan. By the 1830's pioneer families by the thousands each year were moving over this road in their wagons. By 1835 the Western Stage Company of Detroit was running two stages daily to Chicago. Much of the road was little more than an unimproved trail, making a trip over it an unforgettable and an uncomfortable experience. Buildings from that bygone age still stand along US-12, the Chicago Road's descendant.
Details
HM NumberHM17UR
Series This marker is part of the Michigan: Michigan Historical Commission series
Tags
Marker NumberS162
Placed ByMichigan Historical Commission
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Friday, September 12th, 2014 at 8:06pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)16T E 647145 N 4636231
Decimal Degrees41.86431667, -85.22705000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 41° 51.859', W 85° 13.623'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds41° 51' 51.54" N, 85° 13' 37.38" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)517
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 927-967 W Chicago Rd, Bronson MI 49028, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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