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100 years of US routes: 1926-2026
Endpoints of
During its 34-year life, the east terminus of US 112 never moved (more info, maps, and photos on the Detroit page).
c. 1927, Rand McNally
Elkhart
For the first ten years of its existence, US 112 did not make it all the way to New Buffalo; originally its west end was in Elkhart; this is from AASHO's April 1927 route log:
c. 1931, Rand McNally
This photo was taken looking south on Main Street at Jackson Street. US 20 was routed on Jackson at the time (and likely US 33 as well), so the US 112 designation probably ended here:
Hargraves, Jul. 2002
This shot was looking north on Main at Jackson, and thus at the original west beginning of US 112:
Hargraves, Jul. 2002
Starting around 1932, some maps showed that US 112 had been extended west along IN hwy. 2, ending at US 20 in Rolling Prairie...
c. 1932, IN DoT
...and then a few years later, this same route was shown as "US 112-S". However, neither of those changes were ever authorized by AASHO (more info in our book):
c. 1933, Gousha
In 1935 AASHO did approve the rerouting of US 112 such that it remained entirely in Michigan, terminating at its junction with US 12 in New Buffalo:
c. 1937, Rand McNally
New Buffalo
This photo was looking at the historic New Buffalo endpoint of US 112. Today this is westbound US 12, which continues to the left. But formerly eastbound US 12 was to the right, via what is now known as the "Red Arrow Highway", through Benton Harbor:
Hargraves, Jul. 2002
This photo was looking east on US 12. Today the US 12 designation turns right ahead, through interchange 4 on I-94, and on to Niles. But originally US 12 went straight ahead on Red Arrow, while to the right was the west beginning of US 112:
Sanderson, May 2005
Heading the opposite direction, this shot shows the view from what was formerly westbound US 12; the historic west beginning of US 112 was to the left:
Sanderson, May 2005
Back then, if one were to turn that direction, they would have seen a US 112 reassurance marker posted on this road:
Sanderson, May 2005
Research and/or image credits: Don Hargraves; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa
Page originally created 2000;last updated May 30, 2025.
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