U.S. Route 51

U.S. Route 51
US 51 highlighted in red
Route information
Length	1,277 mi[1] (2,055 km)
Existed	November 11, 1926 (1926-11-11)[2]–present
Major junctions
South end	US 61 in LaPlace, LA
Major intersections	I-10 in LaPlace, LA I-20 in Jackson, MS I-40 / I-69 in Memphis, TN I-57 at Cairo, IL I-64 at Richview, IL I-70 in Vandalia, IL I-55 / I-74 in Bloomington, IL I-80 in La Salle, IL I-90 in Cherry Valley, IL I-39 / I-90 / I-94 in DeForest, WI
North end	US 2 near Hurley, WI
Location
Country	United States
States	Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Wisconsin
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided
← US 50 → US 52

U.S. Route 51 or U.S. Highway 51 (US 51) is a major south–north United States highway that extends 1,277 miles (2,055 km) from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana, to within 150 feet (46 m) of the Wisconsin–Michigan state line. As most of the United States Numbered Highways ending with "1", it is a cross-country north–south route extending from the Gulf Coast region to the Great Lakes region. Much of the highway in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin runs parallel to or is cosigned with Interstate 39 (I-39) and much of the route in several states also parallels the Illinois Central Railroad. From LaPlace, Louisiana, Mississippi, to Memphis, Tennessee, much of that portion of US 51 runs largely parallel or is concurrent with Interstate 55 (I-55). The highway's northern terminus is between Hurley, Wisconsin, and Ironwood, Michigan, where it ends with a roundabout at US 2. Its southern terminus is in Laplace, Louisiana, ending at US 61. US 51 is routed through the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

In addition to singing about US 61 on his album Highway 61 Revisited, musician Bob Dylan also commemorated US 51, covering the folk song "Highway 51 Blues", earlier recorded by both Curtis Jones and Tommy McClennan, on his eponymous album Bob Dylan. The North Mississippi Allstars also paid tribute to the highway in the title track of their album 51 Phantom.

In Memphis, Tennessee, all of US 51 south of South Parkway East was renamed from Bellevue Boulevard to Elvis Presley Boulevard on January 17, 1972. Graceland is located on this section of the highway, in the subdivision of Whitehaven.

In 2004, the six states that US 51 traverses banded together as the Explore Hwy 51 Coalition to help promote this "All-American Road". The group now offers visitor information for traveling the length of the road.^[3]