U.S. Route 56 (US 56) is an east–west
United States highway
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these h ...
that runs for approximately in the
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
. US 56's western terminus is at
Interstate 25 Business (I-25 Bus.),
US 412
U.S. Route 412 is an east–west United States highway, first commissioned in 1982. U.S. 412 overlaps expressway-grade Cimarron Turnpike from Tulsa west to Interstate 35 and the Cherokee Turnpike from east of Chouteau, Oklahoma, to west of th ...
and
New Mexico State Road 21
New Mexico State Road 21 (NM 21), is a state highway located entirely in Colfax County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The road starts in the center of the town of Cimarron at U.S. Route 64 (US 64) and runs southward then east to an interse ...
(NM 21) in
Springer, New Mexico
Springer is a town in Colfax County, New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corn ...
and the highway's eastern terminus is at
US 71
U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Intersta ...
in
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...
. Much of it follows the
Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, the ...
.
Route description
The highway passes through
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
,
Kansas
Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
, and
Missouri
Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
. The eastbound shoulder also touches a corner of
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
at a small road junction near the New Mexico/Oklahoma border.
New Mexico
US 56 runs concurrent with
US 412
U.S. Route 412 is an east–west United States highway, first commissioned in 1982. U.S. 412 overlaps expressway-grade Cimarron Turnpike from Tulsa west to Interstate 35 and the Cherokee Turnpike from east of Chouteau, Oklahoma, to west of th ...
for its entire length in New Mexico, and are signed as such through the state. The two routes begin in Springer and head east towards
Abbot
Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...
, where they serve as the northern terminus of
State Road 39. Continuing east, US 56/412 meet the southern terminus of
NM 193 south of
Farley, the northern terminus of
NM 120 east of
Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British politican, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party.
In a career lasting over 60 years, he ...
, and the southern terminus of
NM 453. US 56/412 intersect
US 64
U.S. Route 64 (US 64) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,281 miles (3,672 km) from Nags Head in eastern North Carolina to just southwest of the Four Corners in northeast Arizona. The western terminus is at U.S. Route ...
and
US 87
U.S. Highway 87 (US 87) is a north–south United States highway (though it is signed east–west in New Mexico) that runs for from northern Montana to southern Texas, making it the longest north–south road to not have a "1" in ...
in
Clayton, New Mexico
Clayton is a town in and the county seat of Union County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,980.
History
Early history
Native Americans were present in the area of Clayton for at least 10,000 years, ...
, and US 64 joins with US 56/412 in their trek northeast. The three routes serve as the southern terminus of
NM 406 as they enter the
Kiowa National Grassland. The three routes then cross into Oklahoma together.
Oklahoma
US-56's short path through Oklahoma consists of a diagonal slice across the western part of the
Oklahoma Panhandle. US-56/64/412 enter Oklahoma near the southwest corner of the Panhandle, where they also enter
Rita Blanca National Grassland. They leave the grassland near
Felt
Felt is a textile that is produced by matting, condensing, and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers such as petroleum-based acrylic fiber, acrylic or acrylonitrile or ...
. Three miles
(4.8 km) southwest of
Boise City,
US-385 joins the concurrency. The routes then enter Boise City, where they enter a traffic circle around the
Cimarron County Courthouse
The Cimarron County Courthouse is the historic courthouse serving Cimarron County, Oklahoma, located in Boise City. The courthouse was designed by M.C. Parker in the Classical Revival and Neoclassical styles and built in red brick by Strong & Fr ...
that involves US-56, US-64, US-385, US-412,
State Highway 3, and
SH-325. After leaving the traffic circle, US-56 overlaps US-64, US-412, and SH-3. east of the courthouse, US-56 meets US-287 at an interchange. US-56/64/412/SH-3 continue northeast for ,
where US-56 splits to travel northeast on its own.
The route parallels the
Cimarron Valley Railroad
The Cimarron Valley Railroad was formed May 29, 1996 in Utah, United States. In that year it purchased from what was then Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (now BNSF Railway) trackage built , being the former C.V. and Manter Subdivisions of th ...
for the remainder of its time in Oklahoma.
Keyes is the next town on US-56, and it also serves as the northern terminus of
SH-171 where the two highways intersect. US-56 crosses into
Texas County east of
Sturgis. Just before crossing the Kansas line, US-56 meets the north end of
SH-95. US-56 then enters Kansas on the east edge of
Elkhart.
Kansas

US-56 enters the state at the Kansas/Oklahoma border near
Elkhart. It weaves its way across the state from southwest to northeast, passing through such towns as
Dodge City
Dodge City is a city in and the county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 27,788. It was named after nearby Fort Dodge, which was named in honor of Grenville Dodge. The city ...
,
Great Bend
Great Bend is a city in and the county seat of Barton County, Kansas, United States. It is named for its location at the point where the course of the Arkansas River bends east then southeast. As of the 2020 census, the population of the ci ...
,
McPherson
McPherson is a Scottish surname. It is an Anglicised form of the Gaelic ''Mac a' Phearsain'' and ''Mac a Phearsoin'', meaning "son of the parson". Notable people with the surname include:
In sports
*Adrian McPherson, American football player
...
,
Council Grove, and
Baldwin City
Baldwin City is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States, about south of Lawrence. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 4,826. The city is home to Baker University, the state's oldest four-year university.
History
...
. It joins with
I-35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexico–Uni ...
/
US-50 east of
Gardner Gardner may refer to:
People and fictional characters
*Gardner (given name)
*Gardner (surname)
Places United States
* Gardner, Colorado
*Gardner, Illinois
*Gardner, Kansas
*Gardner, Massachusetts
* Gardner, North Dakota
* Gardner, Tennessee
* Ga ...
, and goes northeast with I-35 into the
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
Metro Area. It exits the state as part of
Shawnee Mission Parkway in
Mission Woods.
Missouri

For one mile (1.6 km) in Kansas City's
Country Club Plaza
The Country Club Plaza (often called The Plaza) is a privately owned regional shopping center in the Country Club District of Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri. Opened in 1923, it is considered to be the first planned large outdoor su ...
, Route 56 follows the noted boulevard
Ward Parkway
Ward Parkway is a boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Ward Parkway begins at Brookside Boulevard on the eastern edge of the Country Club Plaza and travels west 2.8 miles along Brush Creek as U.S. Route 56 before turning sout ...
along with 47th St through the Country Club Plaza. The route ends at an intersection with
U.S. Route 71
U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Intersta ...
. It also includes Blue Parkway and Swope Parkway at certain points.
History

In the early 1950s, towns along what was then the K-45 corridor, connecting
Ellsworth, Kansas
Ellsworth is a city in and the county seat of Ellsworth County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 3,066. Known as a cow town in the 1870s, when the Kansas Pacific Railroad operated a stockyard her ...
to the
Oklahoma
Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
state line at
Elkhart, formed the Mid-Continent Diagonal Highway Association to push for a new highway from
Springer, New Mexico
Springer is a town in Colfax County, New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corn ...
(on
US 85) northeast across the
Oklahoma Panhandle, along K-45, and continuing to
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc ( ) is a city in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626.
History
Purporte ...
on
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...
. By mid-1954, it was being promoted as U.S. Route 55 between the
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
and the
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural list of regions of the United States, region of the United States that includes Arizona and New Mexico, along with adjacen ...
. The first submissions to the
American Association of State Highway Officials
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols, and guidelines that are used in highway design and construction throughout the United St ...
(AASHO) to establish the route were made in 1954; all placed the northeast end at
Manitowoc, Wisconsin
Manitowoc ( ) is a city in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626.
History
Purporte ...
(absorbing
US 151 from
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. The population was 137,710 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Iowa, second-most populous city in Iowa. The city lies o ...
), while they varied on whether the southwest end was to be at
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...
or
Nogales, Arizona
Nogales (; English: or ) is a city in and the county seat of Santa Cruz County, Arizona. The population was 20,837 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and estimated 20,103 in 2019. Nogales forms part of the larger Tucson–Nogales L ...
.
Oklahoma Department of Transportation
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) is an government agency, agency of the government of Oklahoma responsible for the construction and maintenance of the state's transportation infrastructure. Under the leadership of the Oklahoma Se ...
Chronological History Documentation: US 56
(correspondence between ODOT, AASHO, and other DOTs) The first route considered in northeast Kansas was via
US 40 from Ellsworth to
Topeka
Topeka ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County, Kansas, Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeaste ...
and
K-4 and
US 59 via
Atchison to
St. Joseph, Missouri
St. Joseph is a city in and county seat of Buchanan County, Missouri, Buchanan County, Missouri, United States. A small portion of the city extends north into Andrew County, Missouri, Andrew County. Located on the Missouri River, it is the princ ...
. A revised route adopted in March 1955, due to AASHO objections to the original route, which traveled
concurrently with other U.S. Highways for over half of its length, followed
K-14,
K-18,
US 24,
K-63,
K-16, and US 59 via
Lincoln
Lincoln most commonly refers to:
* Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the 16th president of the United States
* Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England
* Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S.
* Lincoln (na ...
and
Manhattan
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
. In July, the US 50-N Association proposed a plan that would have eliminated
US 50N by routing US 55 along most of its length, from
Larned east to
Baldwin Junction, and then along US 59 to
Lawrence
Lawrence may refer to:
Education Colleges and universities
* Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States
* Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States
Preparator ...
and
K-10 to
Kansas City
The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
; towns on US 50N west of Larned, which would have been bypassed, led a successful fight against this.
However, in September of that year, the
Kansas Highway Commission accepted that plan, taking US 55 east to Kansas City.
On June 27, 1956, the AASHO Route Numbering Committee considered this refined plan for US 55, between Springer, New Mexico and Kansas City, Missouri, with a short
US 155 along the remaining portion of US 50N from Larned west to
Garden City. The committee approved the request, but since the proposed route was more east–west than north–south, it changed it to an even number – US 56 – and the spur to
US 156.
On June 26, 1958, AASHO denied the New Mexico Department of Transportation's request to extend US 56 west from Springer to Santa Fe, which would have followed US 85, US 84 and US 285.
US 56 originally took a different route between Boise City, Oklahoma and Elkhart, Kansas. The original route followed US 64 east to an intersection south of
Eva. It then split off to the north towards Elkhart.
By 1961, the section north of US 64 had been overlaid with
SH-95.
The following year, US 56 was rerouted over SH-114, bringing it to its current diagonal path across the Oklahoma Panhandle.
The old alignment is still on the Oklahoma highway system as the north half of SH-95.
Major intersections
Related routes
Herington business loop
U.S. Route 56 Business (US-56 Bus.) is a short business loop through
Herington, Kansas
Herington is a city in Dickinson and Morris counties in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,109.
History
19th century
Herington was named after its founder, Monroe Davis Herington. His name at ...
. US-56 begins at US-56 and US-77 south of Herington. At this intersection, there is no access to eastbound US-56 or northbound US-77 from US-56 Bus. and no access to US-56 Bus. from westbound US-56 or southbound US-77. US-56 Bus. heads north through flat lands with scattered trees for then enters
Herington. The highway continues for roughly then curves east and becomes Trapp Street. US-56 Bus. then crosses Lime Creek as it continues through the city. After roughly the highway exits the city and reaches its eastern terminus at US-56 and US-77.
US-56 Bus. and US-77 Bus. was approved through Herington in a meeting on October 13, 1979. US-77 Bus. was approved to be decommissioned in a meeting on June 9, 1991, leaving just US-56 Bus..
;Major intersections
Temporary route
U.S. Route 56 Temporary (US-56 Temp.) was a temporary route of US 56 in Oklahoma. It began on modern US-56 northeast of
Boise City, Oklahoma
Boise City ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Cimarron County, in the Panhandle of Oklahoma, United States. Its population was 1,166 at the 2020 census, a decline of 7.9% from 1,266 in 2010.
History
Boise City was founded in 1908 by de ...
and followed US 64 and
SH 3 east to
SH 95. It then traveled north along SH 95 to Elkhart, Kansas. The route was approved on July 11, 1956, along existing highways, when the current routing of US-56 was being constructed.
By 1962, US 56 was rerouted over
SH 114, bringing it to its current diagonal path across the Oklahoma Panhandle.
;Major intersections
See also
*
K-156 (Kansas highway)
K-156 is a west–east state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. K-156's western terminus is at U.S. Route 50 in Kansas#Special routes, U.S. Route 50 Business (US-50 Bus.) and U.S. Route 83 in Kansas#Business route, US-83 Bus. in Garden C ...
*
U.S. Route 156
References
External links
Endpoints of U.S. Highway 56* Kansas Highway Maps
CurrentHistoric KDOT
{{S-end
56
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Transportation in Colfax County, New Mexico
Transportation in Union County, New Mexico
Transportation in Cimarron County, Oklahoma
Transportation in Texas County, Oklahoma
Transportation in Morton County, Kansas
Transportation in Stevens County, Kansas
Transportation in Seward County, Kansas
Transportation in Haskell County, Kansas
Transportation in Gray County, Kansas
Transportation in Ford County, Kansas
Transportation in Edwards County, Kansas
Transportation in Pawnee County, Kansas
Transportation in Barton County, Kansas
Transportation in Rice County, Kansas
Transportation in McPherson County, Kansas
Transportation in Marion County, Kansas
Transportation in Dickinson County, Kansas
Transportation in Morris County, Kansas
Transportation in Lyon County, Kansas
Transportation in Osage County, Kansas
Transportation in Douglas County, Kansas
Transportation in Johnson County, Kansas
Transportation in Jackson County, Missouri