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http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20...1/12300324/1130

Historic status sought for Michigan Road route
Michigan Road served pioneers; it is hoped to draw tourists.

By VIRGINIA RANSBOTTOM
Tribune Staff Writer

PLYMOUTH — Michigan Road has been nominated as a historic state byway not only to preserve Hoosier history, but to tap into the growing market of heritage tourism.

"Heritage tourism is becoming more popular as a lot of people are taking shorter trips, especially with the economy nowadays," said Kurt Garner, co-organizer of the Historic Michigan Road Byway steering committee. "They're taking day trips to historic sites, routes and scenic byways."

The primary purpose to build Michigan Road in the 1830s was to spur development of the northern part of the fledgling state, as well as create access to shipping ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan.

Today, Michigan Road is hoped to spur tourism for nearly two dozen downtowns by putting them on Indiana's map as a historic byway destination.

"Most people think because it's named Michigan Road it goes to Michigan, but it doesn't," Garner said. "It goes to Lake Michigan."

The route generally follows highways 421, 29, 25, old U.S. 31 to South Bend, then U.S. 20 to Michigan City.

"I think it will bring traffic to Plymouth through the downtown," said business owner Jim Vinall of the City Center. "It's the downtowns that are hurting."

Other downtowns on the Michigan Road route include Michigan City, New Carlisle, South Bend, Lakeville, LaPaz, Plymouth, Argos, Rochester, Fulton, Metea, Logansport, Burlington, Michigantown, Kirklin, Indianapolis, Shelbyville, Greensburg, Napoleon, New Marion and Madison.

Michigan Road was the state's first road commissioned by the Indiana State Legislature in 1826 and became a key thoroughfare in opening Indiana for settlement.

The route connected Madison on the Ohio River to Michigan City on Lake Michigan via Indianapolis, the new state capital.

Not only was it used by pioneers, but as a path to freedom by runaway slaves and the trail down which the American Indians were removed from their lands.

"Today there's a number of great old buildings, barns, farms and everything to identify with as being a Hoosier," said Garner, a historic preservationist who helped place Plymouth on the National Register of Historic Places.

Michigan Road's 270-mile stretch would become the first state byway to traverse the state in a north/south direction.

Lincoln Highway, from east to west, is also awaiting status by the Indiana Department of Transportation as a historic byway.

"That would tie the whole state together," Garner said.

Having two designated byways intersecting in Plymouth would also assist in promoting the Marshall County Museum's new Crossroads Center, established to commemorate the position at the crossroads of America.

"South Bend and Plymouth are unique in that they both have byways that intersect," said Garner.

The Michigan Road historic byway nomination application was submitted to InDOT on Dec. 21 by the steering committee made up of people from the 15 counties on the route.

Those people include elected and appointed officials, Main Street, economic development and tourism directors, historians and business owners.

If approved by the state, the Historic Michigan Road Byway would not only be recognized on state maps, but with directional signage and marketing materials.

"It won't happen overnight, but will be an extended process," Garner said.

The steering committee said receiving the historic byway designation would help in preparations for commemorating the state's bicentennial in 2016.

For more information go to: www.HistoricMichiganRoad.org.

Staff writer Virginia Ransbottom:
vransbottom@sbtinfo.com
574-235-6344