Route 121
Length:	5.5[citation needed] mi (8.85 km) Rhode Island: 1.1 mi Massachusetts: 4.4 mi
Formed:	1960s
West end:	Route 114 in Cumberland, RI
East end:	Route 1A in Wrentham, MA
< Route 120 RI Route 122 > < Route 120 MA Route 122 > < Route 10 Route 12 > < Route 10 Route 12 >

Route 121 is a numbered State Highway running 1.1 miles in Rhode Island and 4.4 miles in Massachusetts. It is part of the route connecting the city of Woonsocket (via Route 114) with the town of Wrentham.

Route

Route 121 takes the following route:

• Cumberland, Rhode Island: 1.1 miles; Route 114 to Massachusetts State line
  • Wrentham Road
• Wrentham, Massachusetts: 4.4 miles; Rhode Island state line to Route 1A
  • Cumberland Road, West Street

History

The route from Woonsocket to Wrentham was assigned as Route 142 in the early 1920s when the New England states began numbering their state highways. Route 142 ran for about 11 miles between Route 122 and current Route 1A (then designated as U.S. Route 1).^[1] It used present-day Route 114 from Route 122 in Woonsocket and Cumberland, then along present-day Route 121 to Wrentham.

Around 1933, the entire route (in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts) was renumbered as Route 11 and its northern end extended into Dedham along old Route 1 (current Route 1A) when Route 1 was realigned.^[2] Route 11 was later cut back to its original length after a few years when Route 1A was designated in the area.

In the mid-1960s, the southern end of the route was truncated by about 5.4 miles to its current southern terminus at the intersection of Pine Swamp Road and Diamond Hill Road in Cumberland. This was due to the westward extension of the Route 114 designation into the city of Woonsocket.^[3] At the same time, the route was renumbered to Route 121.

Notes

Route 121 goes through a very rural part of northeast Cumberland.

References

1. ^ ALA Greenbook, 1930 edition, Scarborough Motor Guide Co.
2. ^ neilbert.com MA Route 11
3. ^ Shawn De Cesari's Rhode Island Route Log

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