 The Great Lakes Automobile Route was established in 1917 by the Upper Peninsula Development Bureau . A predecessor of the Great Lakes Circle Tours years later , the route followed " ... a circular journey along the banks of lakes Michigan and Superior and Green Bay ... " This route followed the modern US 41 from the M @-@ 28 junction in Harvey to Copper Harbor . A branch of the route followed US 2 / US 41 between Powers and Rapid River . The name fell out of use before its first anniversary because of World War I. The route was originally intended to entice motorists to drive around Lake Michigan ; the side trips to Lake Superior distracted from this mission . 
