End of US highway 59[I]
View a map showing this route.
Photo credits: Monte
Castleman
Additional research: Jeff
Morrison
| Approx. time period | North terminus | South terminus |
|---|---|---|
| 1934-1935 | Lake City, MN | (near Chester, IA) |
It's possible that US 59 [I] was signed in Minnesota for about one year (around 1934-35), but it never existed according to AASHO (today's AASHTO).
You see, north of Oskaloosa IA, US 63 originally followed what is now IA hwy. 163 to end in Des Moines. So MN DoT's idea was that US 59 [I] was to began at US 61 in Lake City MN, and from there to follow today's US 63 down to the Iowa line. The assumption was that Iowa DoT would pick it up and continue US 59 southward to end at US 63 in Oskaloosa. However, this was never agreed to by Iowa, nor was it ever approved by AASHO. Instead, the year after US 59 was proposed, US 63 was changed to head due north from Oskaloosa, and at the Minnesota line it took over what may have briefly been an unauthorized US 59 in that state (old US 63 between Oskaloosa and Des Moines became US 163 for a few years, then IA 163). Today's US 59 was commissioned during that same year - you can read about its endpoints here. The photo below is looking at what would've been the historic north terminus of US 59 [I] in Lake City:
Castleman, Dec. 2004
Today that's northbound on US 63, which at the light continues to the left with US 61. But for about one year, US 59 may have terminated here at US 61. The overhead signage is shown close-up below:
Castleman, Dec. 2004
The photo below shows where southbound US 63 enters Iowa from Minnesota:
Castleman, 2004
That's as far south as US 59 [I] would've ever made it; after about a year this became US 63. Chester is about a half-mile ahead; you can see its water tower.