Minnesota State Highway 139
Encyclopedia
Minnesota State Highway 139 is a highway
in southeast Minnesota
, which runs from Iowa Highway 139
at the Iowa
state line and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection
with U.S. Highway 52
in Harmony
.
Highway 139 is 3.9 miles (6.3 km) in length and passes through the city of Harmony
and Harmony Township.
The route passes near Niagara Cave.
The route is legally defined as Route 79 in the Minnesota Statutes. It is not marked with this number.
The route was paved by 1953.
Highway 139 was numbered to match adjoining Iowa Highway 139
. This is the only example where Minnesota numbered a route to match an existing route in Iowa, rather than the opposite. Iowa renumbered its state highways that crossed into Minnesota in the early 1960s to match the Minnesota numbers.
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
in southeast Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, which runs from Iowa Highway 139
Iowa Highway 139
Iowa Highway 139 is a long highway in northeastern Iowa. Iowa 139 begins at Iowa Highway 9 east of Cresco and ends at the Minnesota state line, continuing as Minnesota State Highway 139.-Route description:...
at the Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
state line and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...
with U.S. Highway 52
U.S. Route 52 in Minnesota
U.S. Highway 52 enters the state of Minnesota at the unincorporated community of Prosper, north of the town of Burr Oak, Iowa. The route is marked north–south in Minnesota along its independent segment from the Iowa state line to downtown St. Paul...
in Harmony
Harmony, Minnesota
Harmony is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,020 at the 2010 census. The town bills itself as the "Biggest Little Town in Southern Minnesota" and features the largest Amish community in the state.-Geography:...
.
Highway 139 is 3.9 miles (6.3 km) in length and passes through the city of Harmony
Harmony, Minnesota
Harmony is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,020 at the 2010 census. The town bills itself as the "Biggest Little Town in Southern Minnesota" and features the largest Amish community in the state.-Geography:...
and Harmony Township.
Route description
Highway 139 serves as a north–south route between the Iowa state line and the city of Harmony. It is also known as Main Avenue in Harmony.The route passes near Niagara Cave.
The route is legally defined as Route 79 in the Minnesota Statutes. It is not marked with this number.
History
Highway 139 was authorized in 1933.The route was paved by 1953.
Highway 139 was numbered to match adjoining Iowa Highway 139
Iowa Highway 139
Iowa Highway 139 is a long highway in northeastern Iowa. Iowa 139 begins at Iowa Highway 9 east of Cresco and ends at the Minnesota state line, continuing as Minnesota State Highway 139.-Route description:...
. This is the only example where Minnesota numbered a route to match an existing route in Iowa, rather than the opposite. Iowa renumbered its state highways that crossed into Minnesota in the early 1960s to match the Minnesota numbers.