 The Niantic-Flanders-Chesterfield road was a primary state highway in the 1920s known as Highway 188.In the 1932 state highway renumbering, Route 161 was created from the northern half of old Highway 188, running from US 1 in Flanders to Route 85 in Chesterfield.In 1950, Route 161 was extended south to Niantic along former SR 669.