.gif)
M-107 (Michigan highway)
Encyclopedia
M-107 was an east–west state trunkline highway
in the Upper Peninsula
of the US state of Michigan
. Running for 9.576 miles (15.411 km), it connected Lake of the Clouds and the rest of the Porcupine Mountains State Park to M-64
in Silver City. The roadway parallels the Lake Superior
shoreline in Ontonagon County
.
The roadway was built in 1935 and named to honor the 107th Engineer Combat Battalion. The Michigan Legislature
named it the "107th Engineer Memorial Road " in 2001. M-107 was transferred from the control of the Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT) to the Ontonagon County Road Commission on June 4, 2008. This transfer decommissioned the M-107 designation and removed it from the state trunkline system.
and backpacking
, rustic trailside cabins, modern campgrounds
, swimming and boating
areas, and various interpretive programs led by park ranger
s. The North Country Trail
passes through the park. In the winter, a ski area also operates within the park. Because of the copper mining history of the park, it is a cooperating unit of Keweenaw National Historical Park
.
named M-107 the "107th Engineer Memorial Road" in 2001.
On June 4, 2008, a transfer agreement was reached transferring the jurisdiction of M-107 from MDOT to the Ontonagon County Road Commission. This transfer marked the end of the M-107 designation as the roadway became a county primary road. The OCRC has named it the "107th Engineers Memorial Highway".
Michigan Highway System
The Michigan State Trunkline Highway System is made up of all the highways designated as Interstates, U.S. Highways and State Highways in the US state of Michigan. The system is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation and comprises of trunklines in all 83 counties of Michigan on...
in the Upper Peninsula
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
of the US state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Running for 9.576 miles (15.411 km), it connected Lake of the Clouds and the rest of the Porcupine Mountains State Park to M-64
M-64 (Michigan highway)
M-64 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs for through the western part of the state in land that is part of the Ottawa National Forest. The highway connects with County Trunk Highway B at the state line near Presque Isle, Wisconsin....
in Silver City. The roadway parallels the Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
shoreline in Ontonagon County
Ontonagon County, Michigan
-National protected areas:* Keweenaw National Historical Park * Ottawa National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,818 people, 3,456 households, and 2,225 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 5,404 housing units...
.
The roadway was built in 1935 and named to honor the 107th Engineer Combat Battalion. The Michigan Legislature
Michigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
named it the "107th Engineer Memorial Road " in 2001. M-107 was transferred from the control of the Michigan Department of Transportation
Michigan Department of Transportation
The Michigan Department of Transportation is a constitutional government agency in the US state of Michigan. The primary purpose of MDOT is to maintain the Michigan State Trunkline Highway System which includes all Interstate, US and state highways in Michigan with the exception of the Mackinac...
(MDOT) to the Ontonagon County Road Commission on June 4, 2008. This transfer decommissioned the M-107 designation and removed it from the state trunkline system.
Route description
M-107 existed to connect the Porcupine Mountains State Park with the rest of the Michigan state trunkline highway system, running parallel to the Lake Superior shoreline. It began at an intersection with M-64 in Silver City. From there, M-107 ran west into the Porcupine Mountains, crossing the Little Iron River and passing the PMSP Winter Sports Complex. The western end was at the Lake of the Clouds overlook.Lake of the Clouds
Lake of the Clouds is a lake located in Ontonagon County within the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The lake is situated in a valley between two ridges in the Porcupine Mountains. Surrounded by wilderness, the lake is a popular destination for hikers, campers, and fishermen. The lake is a prominent feature of the park, and can be viewed at the Lake of the Clouds Overlook at the west terminus of former M-107.Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
Porcupine Mountains State Park was established in 1944 to protect the last large stand of old-growth forest remaining in Michigan. Then in 1972, Michigan passed the Wilderness and Natural areas Act. This act gave the park the new designation of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The facilities provided by the park include an extensive network of backcountry trails for hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and backpacking
Backpacking (wilderness)
Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...
, rustic trailside cabins, modern campgrounds
Campsite
A campsite or camping pitch is a place used for overnight stay in the outdoors. In British English a campsite is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using tents or camper vans or caravans; this British English use of the word is synonymous with the...
, swimming and boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
areas, and various interpretive programs led by park ranger
Park ranger
A park ranger or forest ranger is a person entrusted with protecting and preserving parklands – national, state, provincial, or local parks. Different countries use different names for the position. Ranger is the favored term in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Within the United...
s. The North Country Trail
North Country Trail
The North Country National Scenic Trail , which stretches approximately from Crown Point in eastern New York to Lake Sakakawea in central North Dakota in the United States, is the longest of the eleven National Scenic Trails authorized by Congress...
passes through the park. In the winter, a ski area also operates within the park. Because of the copper mining history of the park, it is a cooperating unit of Keweenaw National Historical Park
Keweenaw National Historical Park
Keweenaw National Historical Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park Service. Established in 1992, the park celebrates the life and history of the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan...
.
History
The routing of M-107 had been largely unchanged since designation. The designation was created in 1935 as a tribute to the 107th Engineer Combat Battalion. The highway was dedicated on June 13, 1954 to the battalion at a ceremony by Highway Commissioner Charles M. Ziegler. This ceremony was attended by approximately 1,200 people at a highway turnout located along the roadway 4 miles (6 km) west of Silver City. A 3 short tons (2.7 LT) boulder was placed on a concrete pedestal with a bronze inscription plaque at the location of the ceremony. The Michigan LegislatureMichigan Legislature
The Michigan Legislature is the legislative assembly of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body consisting of the Senate, the upper house, and the House of Representatives, the lower house. Article IV of the state's Constitution, adopted in 1963, defines the role of the...
named M-107 the "107th Engineer Memorial Road" in 2001.
On June 4, 2008, a transfer agreement was reached transferring the jurisdiction of M-107 from MDOT to the Ontonagon County Road Commission. This transfer marked the end of the M-107 designation as the roadway became a county primary road. The OCRC has named it the "107th Engineers Memorial Highway".