US highway endpoint in St. Ignace, MI
1957-present
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After the Mackinac Bridge was completed in late 1957, US 27 was extended north from Mackinaw City and signed over the bridge to end at the first interchange on the Upper Peninsula: a cloverleaf with US 2 in St. Ignace. That lasted only about 2 years, but the photo on this postcard must have been taken during that brief timeframe:
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scanned by Lockwood
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That was looking west at the interchange. At the time, westbound US 2 was straight ahead (as it is today), but one could also continue eastbound on US 2 to Sault Ste. Marie behind the camera. To the right was the north beginning of US 27 -- that exit loops around and passes under US 2 heading south (left). When the new I-75 designation was applied to the Bridge a couple years later, the US 27 designation was truncated back to Mackinaw. This photo was taken just a few years after that, so (except for the I-75 and Business 75 shields) this is certainly quite close to how the north end of US 27 looked:
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Lindsay, Jul. 1963
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Then, about 25 years later, this same interchange became a US route endpoint again, when the east end of US 2 was shortened to its current terminus in St. Ignace. This photo was taken looking west, and it shows the current route designations at the interchange:
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Mortell, 1996
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It is now I-75 that leads to the Bridge. Today US 2 begins straight ahead. That assembly has since been replaced by one that is posted further east...
Ivy/Nitzman, 2009 (unchanged as of 2018)
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...and which lacks the US 2 sign (and note the odd application of the Clearview font). But if one continues ahead past the interchange, the first westbound US 2 sign is posted:
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Ivy/Nitzman, 2009
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Morrison, July 2018
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This next shot was taken looking the opposite direction:
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Dienhart, Aug. 2020 (unchanged since at least 2009)
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For a brief period that ramp to southbound I-75 was the north beginning of US 27. Today US 2 ends here, and straight ahead is the south beginning of Business Loop I-75 through St. Ignace. The BGS in the distance is shown close-up in these next photos...
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Morrison, July 2018
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...as well as an "End" assembly. Next are some perspectives from northbound I-75:
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Harmon, summer 2000
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Morrison, July 2018
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That was once the north end of US 27. Originally eastbound US 2 continued to the right via what is now Business 75 through St. Ignace, but now the second exit provides access to the east beginning of US 2. Here is how it is signed today:
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Ivy/Nitzman, 2009
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Research and/or photo credits: Christopher Bessert; Paul Dienhart; John Harmon; Brent Ivy; Jim Lindsay; Steve Lockwood; Jeff Morrison; Robert Mortell; Alex Nitzman; Greg Osbaldeston; Dale Sanderson
Page originally created 2000;
last updated Aug. 19, 2021.
last updated Aug. 19, 2021.
