Highway 10
Highway 10 was an east-west route across the northern states of the US. Until the interstate system was complete in the 1960s, it was the primary long-distance route between cities in North Dakota and Minnesota.
Wisconsin
US 10 starts in Menomonie, on the lake Michigan shore, just north of Sheboygan, around 50 miles north of Milwaukee. It meanders across the state, crossing I94/I90, and ending at the Minnesota border near Hastings, MN, just south of the Minneapolis/St Paul area.
Minnesota
Highway 10, then US Route 10, leaves Moorhead and travels mostly eastward until just south of Brainerd, where it turns more southeasterly and to Anoka and Minneapolis. Numerous vibrant small cities line Highway 10, such as Hawley, Detroit Lakes, and Staples.
North Dakota
US Route 10 officially ends at the West Fargo exit of I-94; however, prior to the interstate, ND Highway 10 continued across the state, ending at Beach on the western border. Portions still exist, and are cumulatively called the "Old Red Trail." These segments are primarily in the western end of the state, near Dickinson, as Interstate 94 more closely follows the path of Highway 10 across North Dakota than it did in Minnesota.
More Information
- "Old Highway 10: Meandering across N.D.", by Lauren Donovan, Bismarck Tribune, 5/12/2007.
- The Old Red Trail, a film by Prairie Public, in conjunction with the North Dakota DOT.
- U.S. Route 10, at Wikipedia
