US-12 Historic Heritage Route - Village of Clinton - Michigan, USA. - National Scenic Byways on Waymarking.com

Early settlers came to Clinton in c1820s From New York state and named the village after their state governor, Dewitt Clinton.

"While two short segments of US-12 has been previously designated as Historic Heritage Routes, in Saline and Clinton/Clinton Twp, on June 9, 2004 the entire length of US-12 from New Buffalo on the Lake Michigan shore to the eastern terminus of US-12 in downtown Detroit was designated as a Historic Heritage Route in its entirety. And while most of the other Heritage Routes in Michigan have been designated with a descriptive name, this route continues to be known as just the US-12 Heritage Trail.

From MDOT: "US-12 is among the oldest road corridors east of the Mississippi River and accesses some of the most extensive and significant historic, cultural, scenic and recreational resources in Michigan," said Pete Hanses, MDOT's Heritage Route manager. "It begins in downtown Detroit, just blocks from the Detroit River, and extends through southern Michigan to the Michigan/Indiana border south of New Buffalo. It was originally a network of centuries-old trails created by Native Americans. Over the years it has had many names such as Sauk Trail, Chicago Road, and Michigan Avenue."

Also from MDOT: "Centuries in the making, the US-12 Heritage Trail connects man, animals, commerce, culture, and nature. From its origins as a network of Native American trails, the US-12 Heritage Trail became one of the most important migration routes for settlers into the Michigan territory. The road was paved in 1920 when Ford sold over a million cars and was officially designated as a United States highway in 1926. Today the 212-mile US-12 Heritage Trail stretches from Detroit to New Buffalo, continuing to be the backbone of Southern Michigan and an access point for exploration and discovery. Rich in colorful character, remarkable history and an ever- changing landscape, the US-12 Heritage Trail invites the traveler to journey its winding road, meet its people, explore its places and uncover its hidden treasures."
Text Source & Weblinks:
• US-12 Heritage Trail website as managed by the Southwestern Michigan Planning Commission:
(visit link)

• US-12 Route Listing
: (visit link)

Clinton Historical Society: (visit link) & (visit link)

Program: US State Program Website: [Web Link] Official Name: US-12 Historic Heritage Route

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Date Logged Log   04/12/2018 veritas vita visited it