History
Before it was a state highway, many parts of the original route of M-26 was used as a military road, connecting Fort Wilkins at Copper Harbor with Fort Howard at Green Bay, Wisconsin. From 1919 until 1934, M-26 was routed southward to the Wisconsin state line to a connection with STH-26 along what is now US 45.
The original northern terminus of M-26 was in Laurium at M-15 (now US 41); it was extended by 1927 along US 41 to Mohawk and then replacing M-83 to Gay. This extension would be reversed in 1933 when the Mohawk to Gay routing was turned over to Keweenaw County control. A second extension in 1935 along US 41 to Phoenix replaced M-129 between Phoenix and Eagle Harbor. At this time, M-206 was designated from M-26 to the Eagle Harbor light house. A rerouting of M-26 in November 1940 moved it between Phoenix and Eagle River, replacing M-111. The segment between Phoenix and Eagle River along Copper Falls Mine Road was turned over to Keweenaw County at this time.
In 1979, M-26 was rerouted through Dakota Heights, bisecting it. Park Avenue had formerly served as the main route from Houghton to Atlantic Mine, but this was replaced by the new route of the highway.
The Lake Shore Drive Bridge, which had carried M-26 over the Eagle River, was relegated to pedestrian use in 1990 after the adjacent Eagle River Timber Bridge opened for traffic.
In 2006, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) opened a bypass around the southwest and southern edge of South Range in order to provide a safer route through the town. As of 4 October 2006, MDOT has transferred jurisdiction of the necessary pieces of roadway to complete the M-26 bypass of South Range.
Read more about this topic: M-26 (Michigan Highway)
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