| M-41 is a former state trunkline route existing from September 20–21, 1915 until May 15, 1927. |
| Western Terminus*: |
M-11 (later US-31, present-day Oceana Dr) on the southern limit of the Village of Hart |
| Eastern Terminus*: |
M-54 (present-day M-37) on the north side of Newaygo |
| Final Length*: |
47.45 miles |
| Maps: |
Route Map of Former M-41 |
| Notes: |
* The termini and final length for M-41 reflect the beginning and ending of the route and its length as of the time of its decommissioning on May 15, 1927. |
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The route of Former M-41, in its final configuration, is essentially identical—with the exception of a few minor realignments in Oceana Co—to the 1938–1947 routing of M-82. This is because the present-day iteration of M-82 is essentially the successor route to the original M-41, renumbered in 1927 with the debut of the U.S. Highway System and the coming of US-41 to the State of Michigan. In many instances, the State Highway Dept decided to not re-use the same route numbers as those being used for the new U.S. Highways and, as such, M-41 needed to be given a new designation. While there have been many instances of route number duplication between U.S. Highway and state-numbered highway routes in the century since, some deliberately used in conjunction with each other (e.g. US-24 and M-24, US-25 and M-25, US-112 and M-112, etc.), since 1927 there has never been another route in Michigan assigned the M-41 designation. |
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The route of M-41 remained relatively static over its first decade of existence, running from M-11/West Michigan Pike at Hart to M-24 near Brunswick on the Muskegon/Newaygo Co line. In its last two years as a route, M-41 was rerouted/extended to run easterly into Fremont, then southerly and easterly again to a new eastern terminus at Newaygo. While always a rather diagonal route, overall, in its initial Hart–to–Brunswick configuration, M-41 was a slightly more north-south route, while after its 1925 extension to Newaygo, it became a bit more of an east-west route overall. |
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When M-41 was given a new route designation in 1927 due to the arrival of the U.S. Highway System, it was given the M-82 designation—interestingly "82" is exactly two times "41." Whether or not this was a purposeful move on the part State Highway Dept personnel is not known, but it is a somewhat intriguing curiosity. |
| History: |
1915 (Sept 20–21) – Over the course of two days in September 1915, the entirety of M-41 (outside of any municipalities—namely Hart and Hesperia) is officially established as a state trunkline highway route. Presenting the segments in geographic order, west to east:
- Oceana Co, 6.2 miles – from the south village limit of Hart easterly along Polk Rd for approx 2¼ miles, then southerly along 100th Ave 1½ miles, easterly via Hazel Rd ½ mile, southerly on 104th Ave ½ mile, easterly along Fillmore Rd ½ mile; southerly via 108th Ave ½ mile, easterly along Scout Rd ½ to the Hart/Elbridge Twp line on September 21.
- Oceana Co, 1.5 miles – from the 112th Ave at the Hart/Elbridge Twp line easterly via a no-longer-extant segment of Scout Rd for slightly more than ½ mile, southerly along 116th Ave for slightly less than ½ mile, then easterly via Baseline Rd for ½ mile on September 20.
- Oceana Co, 16.5 miles – beginning ½ mile east of 116th Ave, easterly along Baseline Rd for ½ mile, southeasterly via York Rd for ¾ mile, southerly on 128th Ave for one mile, easterly via Pierce Rd for ½ mile, southerly along 132nd Ave for 2.55 miles to Main St in Ferry, easterly on Main St through Ferry and then Loop Rd for a total of 10.6 miles to the west village limit of Hesperia on September 21.
- Oceana Co, 0.5 mile – from the south village limit of Hesperia southerly along Maple Island Rd to Garfield Rd–Baseline Rd on September 21.
- Oceana Co, 3.0 miles – from Garfield Rd–Baseline Rd south of Hesperia southerly three miles via Maple Island Rd to Wilke Rd–24th St on September 20.
- Newaygo Co, 3.0 miles – from Wilke Rd–24th St southerly along Maple Island Rd for three miles to Skeels Rd–48th St on September 20.
- Muskegon Co, 2.0 miles – from Skeels Rd–48th St southerly two miles on Maple Island Rd to Brunswick Rd just north of Brunswick on September 20.
- Newaygo Co, 2.0 miles – from Brunswick Rd north of Brunswick southerly along Maple Island Rd for two miles to M-24/Marvin Rd–80th St and the southern terminus of M-41 on September 20.
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1918 (Nov 29) – The 1.2 miles of M-41 through the village of Hesperia are officially established as a state trunkline highway route (they had been signed as part of M-41 for the past three-plus years) and transferred to state control. The segment includes Michigan Ave from the west village limit easterly to Division Ave and Division Ave from Michigan Ave southerly to the south village limit. |
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1922 (Jan 4) – The final segment of M-41 not yet officially established as a state trunkline highway route—the 0.75 mile segment of Polk Rd from M-11/West Michigan Pike easterly to the eastern village limit—is officially assumed into the state turnkline highway system and transferred to state control. It had been signed as part of M-41 since the route first debuted. |
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1925 (June 25) – At the same time as M-24 between Holton and Fremont is realigned, taking over the southernmost four miles of M-41 in the process, M-41 itself is rerouted/extended on its south/eastern end. From the cnr of Maple Island Rd & Skeels Rd–48th St about 4½ miles of downtown Fremont, the 2.0 miles of 48th St between Maple Island Rd and Comstock Ave (the previous route of M-24 heading south) is established as a state trunkline highway route for both M-41 and M-24. From 48th & Comstock, M-41 now runs concurrently with M-24 into downtown Fremont for an additional three miles. From the cnr of E Main St & Stewart Ave in Fremont, a 10.0-mile segment of Stewart Ave–Warner Ave southerly for three miles and 72nd St, Spring Dr and Fremont St (in Newaygo) heading easterly is established as a state trunkline route as the new alignment for M-41 between Fremont and Newaygo. M-41 now has a new eastern terminus at M-54 (present-day M-37) on the north side of Newaygo. |
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1926 (Nov) – After several proposals and a bit of political wrangling on the actual numbering and routes, the U.S. Highway system is announced, with 13 new national route designations destined for Michigan. Due to this, several state highway designations across the state are changed and M-41 is earmarked to be replaced in its entirety by the M-82 designation, as "41" will be assigned to one of the new U.S. Highway routes. |
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1927 (May 15) – The various state trunkline designation changes due to the debut of the U.S. Highway system in the State of Michigan become official as to the many modifications to other routes affected by those changes. M-41 in its entirety from Hart to Newaygo is decommissioned, with the M-82 route markers erected over the entire route. Thus marks the end of the first and only iteration of M-41 after a dozen years. |
| Controlled Access: |
No portion of M-41 was freeway or expressway, existing before modern-day control of access principles are practiced. |
| Photographs: |
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