The Chicago Road/Great Sauk Trail - Wagon Roads and Trails on Waymarking.com

From the Michigan Historical Marker on site:

One of the great routes for the pioneers coming west was the Chicago Road. The survey of the road began at Detroit in 1825 and followed closely the Sauk Trail which Indians had marked and traveled for centuries before the coming of the white man. Because of its many curves the road was likened to "a huge serpent, lazily pursuing its onward course, utterly unconcerned as to its destination." Originally designed as a military highway linking the forts at Detroit and Chicago, the road proved to be more important in opening southern Michigan to settlement and as a westward land route enabling travelers to avoid the long voyage by boat around lower Michigan. By the 1830's pioneer families by the thousands each year were moving over this road in their wagons. By 1835 the Western Stage Company of Detroit was running two stages daily to Chicago. Much of the road was little more than an unimproved trail, making a trip over it an unforgettable and an uncomfortable experience. Buildings from that bygone age still stand along US-12, the Chicago Road's descendant.

Road of Trail Name: The Chicago Road/Great Sauk Trail State: Michigan County: Branch Historical Significance: Land connection between Detroit and Chicago. How you discovered it: Michigan Historical Marker Why?: Originally designed as a military highway linking the forts at Detroit and Chicago, the road proved to be more important in opening southern Michigan to settlement and as a westward land route enabling travelers to avoid the long voyage by boat around lower Michigan. By the 1830's pioneer families by the thousands each year were moving over this road in their wagons. By 1835 the Western Stage Company of Detroit was running two stages daily to Chicago. Directions: Located in an MDOT roadside park on the north side of the Chicago Road (US-12) about 2 miles west of Bronson. Years in use: Not listed Book on Wagon Road or Trial: Not listed Website Explination: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   04/23/2023 bobfrapples8 visited it 07/27/2016 just for the fun visited it 08/26/2010 geochaser75 visited it 10/10/2009 solarwib visited it

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