Phillips County Museum News for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

In early March 1920, Malta found out it would be on the new transcontinental highway that was being planned across the northern U.S. It started at Portland, Maine and crossed the extreme southern part of Ontario, north of Lake Erie. From Grand Forks, North Dakota westward the highway closely followed the Great Northern Railway. The highway was completed in a piecemeal fashion. In 1920, 29 miles in Toole County, 36 miles in Hill, 25 in Blaine and 40 miles in Roosevelt were to be graveled. Work being completed depended on the passage of road bond elections.

Some of the last pieces to be finished were in our area. In 1931, 27 miles were completed from Bowdoin Lake east to Hinsdale. The road opened to travel in early October 1931. It was oiled from Dodson to Hinsdale in 1934. Originally, this highway was called the “Roosevelt International Highway”, not U.S. Highway 2.

Visit the Phillips County Museum to learn interesting facts about Phillips County. Museum hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.