part of the Twin Bridges–Ennis highway was included in the initial state highway system approved October 9, 1922, and called the Seven Percent System, named as such because 7 percent of a state's highway system was eligible for federal aid through the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921. Virginia City was one of three county seats not connected in the initial 18-route system. However, the Montana State Highway Commission contracted with Madison County to construct of gravel road and of graded road along the Virginia City–Ennis highway between 1919 and 1921. The Virginia City–Ennis road was added to the federal aid highway system and designated State Route No. 29 on May 6, 1930. Montana starting signing non–U.S. Highway routes in 1931, and by 1935 the highway between the two towns was marked as MT 34. By 1933, the Virginia City–Ennis highway was gravel for east from Virginia City and was only graded the remaining to Ennis. The highway from Twin Bridges to Virginia City remained an unimproved dirt road. However, by 1936, that highway was brought into the primary highway system. Between 1937 and 1938, MT 34 was graded and graveled from Twin Bridges to Virginia City. MT 34 was reconstructed—and in many places relocated—and paved starting from the Twin Bridges end. The highway was reconstructed from that town to Sheridan in 1939. The reconstructed highway was removed from Middle Road and Tuke Lane to its present course between the two towns. MT 34 was reconstructed from Sheridan to Laurin in 1940. The reconstructed highway bypassed Bivens Creek Road and for the first time served Laurin directly. Two years later, MT 34 was placed on its modern alignment south through Alder and east through the dredge tailings. The new highway replaced Ruby Road, which bypasses Alder, and another road that bypassed the tailings by following the edge of the valley closer to Alder Creek. MT 34 was reconstructed on or very close to the old road through Alder Gulch to the east end of Virginia City in 1945. Improvements from the Ennis end of the highway began in 1948 when the highway from Ennis west to Old Virginia City Highway in the valley was graveled. Two years later, that stretch was reconstructed and paved. In 1951, MT 34 was placed on its present course west to the highway's summit, which bypassed Old Virginia City Highway. Finally, the modern highway from