In the late 1920s, State Highway 181 followed today's Route 30 between Route 83 in Vernon and Route 74 in Tolland.

Today's Route 181, commissioned in 1932, was originally more of an east-west route, leading from Barkhamsted to Granby. Its original alignment:

• River Rd., Pleasant Valley Rd. and Center Hill Rd. (today's Route 181), from US 44 to Beach Rock Rd.
• An extension of Day Road easterly to Route 179. This road was severed by the Barkhamsted Reservoir.
• Gavitt Rd (today's Route 219) from Route 179 to Route 20

When the Saville Dam and Barkhamsted Reservoir were created in 1940, the middle segment of Route 181 was submerged. At Day Road on the west bank, Route 181 was rerouted north along its modern alignment, ending at Route 20.

One of many bridges destroyed in the 1955 flood was a Route 181 bridge over Morgan Brook in Barkhamsted. The replacement bridge opened to one-way traffic on Nov. 30, 1956.

• "Rebuilt Bridge On Route 181 Set To Open Today." Hartford Courant, Nov. 30. 1956.

Route 181 Ends (Photos; Doug Kerr at state-ends.com)