Current and historic US Highway endpoints
in St. Ignace, MI

Research credits: Christopher Bessert. Photo credits: John Harmon; Steve Lockwood; Robert Mortell; Greg Osbaldeston

After the Mackinac Bridge was completed in late 1957*, US 27 was extended north from Mackinaw City and signed over the bridge to end at the first interchange on the Upper Peninsula: a cloverleaf with US 2 in St. Ignace. That lasted only about 2 years, but the photo on the postcard below must've been taken during that brief timeframe:

scanned by Lockwood

That's looking west at the interchange - at the time, westbound US 2 was straight ahead (as it is today), but you could also continue eastbound on US 2 to Sault Ste. Marie behind the camera. To the right was the north beginning of US 27 - that exit loops around and passes under US 2 heading south (left).

When the new I-75 designation was applied to the Bridge a couple years later, the US 27 designation was truncated back to Mackinaw. Then, about 25 years later, this same interchange became a US route endpoint again, when the east end of US 2 was shortened to its current terminus in St. Ignace. Below is a modern photo from the same perspective, showing the current route designations at the interchange:

Mortell, 1996

As you can see, it's now I-75 that leads to the Bridge. Today US 2 begins straight ahead. The shot below was taken looking the opposite direction:

Osbaldeston, Aug. 2000

Just behind the camera is the ramp to southbound I-75; for a brief period that was the north beginning of US 27. Today US 2 ends here, and straight ahead is the south beginning of Business Loop I-75 through St. Ignace. Below is a perspective from northbound I-75:

Harmon, summer 2000

That used to be the north end of US 27. Originally eastbound US 2 continued to the right via what is now Business 75 through St. Ignace, but now the second exit provides access to the east beginning of US 2.

* At the Bridge's dedication ceremony in 1958, each of Michigan's 83 counties chose a "Queen" to represent them; my very own mother was voted "Miss Missaukee County". You can view lots of old photos and news clippings here.