U.S. Highway 61 - Early Grading Projects Timeline
The following timeline gives the dates of construction of the first modern roadbeds used by U.S. 61. Only the initial highway construction projects conducted by the Department of Highways are listed. Dates generally refer to the year of contract completion given on the highway construction project logs.
Two timelines are provided. One is listed by date, the other geographically. On the standard timeline, projects for each year are listed from south to north. Each grading project is labeled with the region of U.S. 61's route it was contained in (SE, C, or NE).
The biggest year for road grading along future U.S. 61 was in 1924, when 113.17 miles of grade were constructed, nearly twice as much as any other year. 1925 was the runner-up, with 60.21 miles.
Timeline
1920
- SE - East Street in Red Wing to the junction with State Highway 19 - 5.33 miles.
Total: 5.33 miles. Breakdown by Region - SE: 5.33 miles.
1921
- C - St. Paul City Limits to County Road 'E' in Gem Lake - 4.56 miles.
- C - Otter Lake Road in Gem Lake to White Bear Lake - 0.82 miles.
Total: 5.38 miles.
1922
- C - County Road 'E' to Otter Lake Road in Gem Lake - 1.24 miles.
- C - Carlton / St. Louis County Line to the Duluth City Limits (part constructed by St. Louis County) - 4.75 miles.
- NE - Short stretch east from the east city limits of Duluth - 0.99 miles.
Total: 6.98 miles. Breakdown by Region: C: 5.99 miles. NE: 0.99 miles.
1923
- SE - Kellogg to Midland Junction (Zumbro River crossing) - 1.35 miles.
- NE - One mile northeast of the Duluth City Limits to Two Harbors - 15.27 miles.
- NE - Little Marais to the Cross River - 14.5 miles.
Total: 31.12 miles. Breakdown by Region: SE: 1.35 miles. NE: 29.77 miles.
1924
- SE - Houston / Winona County Line to La Moille - 14.55 miles.
- SE - Winona / Wabasha County Line at Minneiska to Kellogg - 11.24 miles.
- SE - Lake City to Red Wing - 16.89 miles.
- SE - St. Paul Park to Newport - 3.01 miles.
- C - Lake Avenue in White Bear Lake - 1.09 miles.
- C - Freisland to Sandstone - 4.78 miles.
- C - Carlton to to the Carlton / St. Louis County Line - 8.61 miles.
- NE - Two Harbors to Little Marais - 38.81 miles.
- NE - Grand Marais to the Brule River - 14.19 miles.
Total: 113.17 miles. Breakdown by Region: SE: 45.69 miles. C: 14.48 miles. NE: 53 miles.
1925
- SE - Wisconsin State Line to 4th Street in La Crescent - 2.13 miles.
- SE - Newport to the St. Paul corporate limits - 1.70 miles.
- C - White Bear Lake (Lake Ave and Stewart) to 175th Street on the north side of Hugo - 8.45 miles.
- C - South Shore Drive in Forest Lake to the Washington / Chisago County Line - 1.57 miles.
- C - Short stretch just north of Wyoming - 1.12 miles.
- C - Short stretch on the north side of North Branch - 0.45 miles.
- C - Stretch just north of Harris - 2.37 miles.
- C - Rock Creek to Pine City - 5.51 miles.
- C - North from Hinckley - 2.01 miles.
- C - Rutledge to Barnum - 17.95 miles.
- C - Barnum to Carlton - 16.95 miles.
Total: 60.21 miles. Breakdown by Region:SE: 3.83 miles. C: 56.38 miles.
1926
- SE - From Pleasant Valley Creek to St. Mary's Cemetery at Winona - 0.77 miles.
- SE - Villa and Broadway in Winona to the Winona / Wabasha County Line - 14.5 miles.
- SE - Midland Junction to Wabasha - 4.64 miles.
- C - 175th Street on the north side of Hugo to South Shore Drive in Forest Lake - 4.95 miles.
- C - Washington / Chisago County Line to Wyoming - 2.56 miles.
- C - From Mission Creek to Hinckley - 4.41 miles.
- C - Two miles north of Hinckley to Friesland - 2.89 miles.
- C - Sandstone to Rutledge - 9.80 miles.
- C - Short stretch at Barnum - 2.78 miles.
Total: 47.3 miles. Breakdown by Region: SE: 19.91 miles. C: 27.39 miles.
1927
- SE - 4th Street in La Crescent to the Winona County Line - 1.08 miles.
- SE - From La Moille to Pleasant Valley Creek just southeast of Winona - 6.51 miles.
- SE - Vermillion Street in Hastings - 1.52 miles.
- SE - Manning Avenue (future Hwy. 95) to St. Paul Park - 6.57 miles.
- C - Wyoming to North Branch - 11.33 miles.
- C - North Branch to Harris - 4.63 miles.
- C - Two miles north of Harris to Rock Creek - 9.79 miles.
- C - Pine City to Mission Creek - 8.22 miles.
Total: 49.65 miles. Breakdown by Region:SE: 15.68 miles. C: 33.97 miles.
1929
- SE - St. Mary's Cemetery to a point just north of the modern jct. of U.S. 61 with Hwy. 43 at Winona - 0.79 miles.
- SE - The intersection of Mankato Avenue and Sarnia Street to Junction Street and Broadway in Winona - 3.3 miles.
- SE - Mississippi River bottoms north of Hastings - 0.57 miles.
Total: 4.66 miles.
1930
- SE - Wabasha to Lake City - 12.14 miles.
- SE - Future south junction with Highway 316 to Hastings - 12.5 miles.
- SE - Mississippi River bottoms north of Hastings to Manning Ave (future Hwy. 95) - 1.29 miles.
Total: 25.93 miles.
1931
- SE - Hiawatha Drive through Wabasha - 1.22 miles.
- SE - Future junction with State Highway 19 to the future south junction with Highway 316 - 7.83 miles.
- NE - Cross River to Lutsen - 11.23 miles.
Total: 20.28 miles. Breakdown by Region: SE: 9.05 miles. NE: 11.23 miles.
1932
- NE - Lutsen to Grand Marais - 20.42 miles.
Total: 20.42 miles.
1933
- NE - Just southwest of the Brule River to just southwest of the Reservation River - 10.43 miles.
Total: 10.43 miles.
1936
- SE - Mankato Avenue in Winona - 0.38 miles.
- SE - Connection to Lakeshore Drive from the highway to Wabasha at Lake City - 1.18 miles.
Total: 1.56 miles.
1937
- NE - Short stretch at the Reservation River - 0.98 miles.
Total: 0.98 miles.
Geographic Timeline (South to North)
- 1925 - Wisconsin State Line to 4th Street in La Crescent - 2.13 miles.
- 1927 - 4th Street in La Crescent to the Winona County Line - 1.08 miles.
- 1924 - Houston / Winona County Line to La Moille - 14.55 miles.
- 1927 - From La Moille to Pleasant Valley Creek just southeast of Winona - 6.51 miles.
- 1926 - From Pleasant Valley Creek to St. Mary's Cemetery at Winona - 0.77 miles.
- 1929 - St. Mary's Cemetery to a point just north of the modern jct. of U.S. 61 with Hwy. 43 at Winona - 0.79 miles.
- 1936 - Mankato Avenue in Winona - 0.38 miles.
- 1929 - The intersection of Mankato Avenue and Sarnia Street to Junction Street and Broadway in Winona - 3.3 miles.
- 1926 - Villa and Broadway in Winona to the Winona / Wabasha County Line - 14.5 miles.
- 1924 - Winona / Wabasha County Line at Minneiska to Kellogg - 11.24 miles.
- 1923 - Kellogg to Midland Junction (Zumbro River crossing) - 1.35 miles.
- 1926 - Midland Junction to Wabasha - 4.64 miles.
- 1931 - Hiawatha Drive through Wabasha - 1.22 miles.
- 1930 - Wabasha to Lake City - 12.14 miles.
- 1936 - Connection to Lakeshore Drive from the highway to Wabasha at Lake City - 1.18 miles.
- 1924 - Lake City to Red Wing - 16.89 miles.
- GAP - City streets in Red Wing.
- 1920 - East Street in Red Wing to the junction with State Highway 19 - 5.33 miles.
- 1931 - Future junction with State Highway 19 to the future south junction with Highway 316 - 7.83 miles.
- 1930 - Future south junction with Highway 316 to Hastings - 12.5 miles.
- 1927 - Vermillion Street in Hastings - 1.52 miles.
- GAP - City streets in Hastings.
- 1929 - Mississippi River bottoms north of Hastings - 0.57 miles.
- 1930 - Mississippi River bottoms north of Hastings to Manning Ave (future Hwy. 95) - 1.29 miles.
- 1927 - Manning Avenue (future Hwy. 95) to St. Paul Park - 6.57 miles.
- 1924 - St. Paul Park to Newport - 3.01 miles.
- 1925 - Newport to the St. Paul corporate limits - 1.70 miles.
- GAP - City streets in St. Paul.
- 1921 - St. Paul City Limits to County Road 'E' in Gem Lake - 4.56 miles.
- 1922 - County Road 'E' to Otter Lake Road in Gem Lake - 1.24 miles.
- 1921 - Otter Lake Road in Gem Lake to White Bear Lake - 0.82 miles.
- 1924 - Lake Avenue in White Bear Lake - 1.09 miles.
- 1925 - White Bear Lake (Lake Ave and Stewart) to 175th Street on the north side of Hugo - 8.45 miles.
- 1926 - 175th Street on the north side of Hugo to South Shore Drive in Forest Lake - 4.95 miles.
- 1925 - South Shore Drive in Forest Lake to the Washington / Chisago County Line - 1.57 miles.
- 1926 - Washington / Chisago County Line to Wyoming - 2.56 miles.
- 1925 - Short stretch just north of Wyoming - 1.12 miles.
- 1927 - Wyoming to North Branch - 11.33 miles.
- 1925 - Short stretch on the north side of North Branch - 0.45 miles.
- 1927 - North Branch to Harris - 4.63 miles.
- 1925 - Stretch just north of Harris - 2.37 miles.
- 1927 - Two miles north of Harris to Rock Creek - 9.79 miles.
- 1925 - Rock Creek to Pine City - 5.51 miles.
- 1927 - Pine City to Mission Creek - 8.22 miles.
- 1926 - From Mission Creek to Hinckley - 4.41 miles.
- 1925 - North from Hinckley - 2.01 miles.
- 1926 - Two miles north of Hinckley to Friesland - 2.89 miles.
- 1924 - Freisland to Sandstone - 4.78 miles.
- 1926 - Sandstone to Rutledge - 9.80 miles.
- 1925 - Rutledge to Barnum - 17.95 miles.
- 1926 - Short stretch at Barnum - 2.78 miles.
- 1925 - Barnum to Carlton - 16.95 miles.
- 1924 - Carlton to to the Carlton / St. Louis County Line - 8.61 miles.
- 1922 - Carlton / St. Louis County Line to the Duluth City Limits (part constructed by St. Louis County) - 4.75 miles.
- GAP - City streets in Duluth.
- 1922 - Short stretch east from the east city limits of Duluth - 0.99 miles.
- 1923 - One mile northeast of the Duluth City Limits to Two Harbors - 15.27 miles.
- 1924 - Two Harbors to Little Marais - 38.81 miles.
- 1923 - Little Marais to the Cross River - 14.5 miles.
- 1931 - Cross River to Lutsen - 11.23 miles.
- 1932 - Lutsen to Grand Marais - 20.42 miles.
- 1924 - Grand Marais to the Brule River - 14.19 miles.
- 1933 - Just southwest of the Brule River to just southwest of the Reservation River - 10.43 miles.
- 1937 - Short stretch at the Reservation River - 0.98 miles.
- GAP - No record of construction of road between the Reservation River and the Canadian Border.
