This is Michigan's 'Avenue of the Saints'

There's a roadway known well across parts of the Midwest called the Avenue of the Saints. The highway, or more specifically collection of highways, connects St Louis in Missouri to St Paul in Minnesota. It travels 563 miles between the two cities along US 61, Missouri and Iowa state routes 21 and Interstate 35.

The highway was conceptualized to spur trade and travel through this section of the Midwest.

There is no similar highway through Michigan but one could easily be conceived.

From St Joseph in Southwest Michigan to Sault Ste Marie on the Canadian border, a Michigan Avenue of the Saints would run through 5 cities named for saints.

The highway would begin along I-94 at St Joseph and run to Marshall turning north onto I-69 to Lansing and then up US 127. US 127 passes through St Johns in Clinton County and St Louis in Gratiot County before joining with I-75. Along I-75 the Michigan Avenue of the Saints would pass St Ignace at the foot of the Mackinac Bridge and Sault Ste Marie at the border.

There are only thee Michigan Saint cities not along that route - St Charles in Saginaw County and along Lake St Clair, the cities of St Clair and St Clair Shores.

Would such a route boost tourism through the Michigan Saints? Perhaps. Michigan byways have been conceptualized and named for less.

👇🏼BELOW: See all of Michigan's Saint Cities + Here's What It Looks Like to Enter Michigan from Canada👇🏼

These are all of Michigan's Saint Cities

From being largely explored by French missionaries and traders, it's not surprising that many locations across Michigan bear the names of saints. Perhaps, it's more surprising there are not more. Here are Michigan's 'Saint Cities.'

Gallery Credit: Google Maps Street View