End of US highway 49

View a map showing this route.

Photo credits: Chris Lawrence; Steven Nelson; Alex Nitzman; me
Additional research: Adam Froehlig; Jeremy Lance

Approx. time period North terminus South terminus
1926-1927 Jackson, MS Gulfport, MS
1927-1963 Clarksdale, MS Gulfport, MS
1963-1969(?) Brinkley, AR (south) Gulfport, MS
1969(?)-1978 Brinkley, AR (north) Gulfport, MS
1978-1980 Jonesboro, AR Gulfport, MS
1980-present Piggott, AR Gulfport, MS

US 49 was commissioned in 1926 to run from Gulfport to Jackson MS. But the endpoint in Jackson was probably never even posted as such, because already by 1927 the north end had been extended to Clarksdale MS. Below we're looking north on State Street, which today is MS hwy. 161, but was originally US 61:

Nelson, July 2006

The north beginning of US 49 was to the right on DeSoto Avenue.

In 1963 the north end of US 49 was extended to US 70 near Brinkley AR. Below we're looking east on US 70:

Nelson, Aug. 2005

The north beginning of US 49 used to be to the right. In about 1969 (when I-40 was completed through the area), US 49 was extended about two miles ahead with US 70 to downtown Brinkley, and then north to end at I-40's interchange 216:

Nelson, Jan. 2006

That lasted until 1978, when the designation was lengthened again. At first US 49 continued north only as far as Jonesboro, ending at its interchange with US 63 (now I-555)...

Lawrence, Feb. 2003

...but two years later it was extended to its current terminus in Piggott AR (not an attractive name, but the town is actually quite scenic, situated at the eastern foot of Crowleys Ridge). The photo below is looking north on US 49, or Thornton Street:

me, Oct. 2007

There was no "End" sign, but the north end of the route is here at Main Street, or US 62. That assembly is in the shadow of another assembly at far right; it's shown in the photo below:

me, Oct. 2007

That's looking west on US 62; the north beginning of US 49 is to the left. Heading the opposite direction (east on Main), the beginning of US 49 is marked thus...

me, Oct. 2007

...and if you turn that way, you'll see the first southbound sign for US 49:

me, Oct. 2007

The south end of US 49 has always been in Gulfport MS, at its junction with US 90. There was no "End" sign there - just the two signs for each direction on US 90 (or Beach Boulevard):

Nitzman, June 2001

That sign tree may have been blown down by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. That's my best guess as to why by 2007 it had been moved from the center median to the gore shown at far right...

me, June 2007

...but Alex reports it was back in the center median by 2009. The photo below is looking west on US 90:

me, June 2007

US 49 begins to the right on 25th Avenue. The signs are shown close-up below:

me, June 2007

Alex reports those had been replaced as of 2009 - the basic content is the same, but a few particulars have changed. It used to be that if you turned that direction, there was a northbound confirming assembly, as shown in the photo below...

Nitzman, 1999

...but from what I observed, that too was a victim of the hurricane. Alex reports the first confirming assembly is about 4 miles north now, near Airport Boulevard. The photo below was from eastbound US 90:

Nitzman, 1999

The south beginning of US 49 is to the left (that assembly has been changed and/or replaced at least twice since then, but none have been as informative as the one above). To the right is the entrance to the parking lot for the ferry to Ship Island:

National Park Service, 2002

I found this kind of interesting, considering that there are other US routes which include ferry segments or which terminate at ferry docks. It's also interesting that Ship Island Excursions has been in operation since 1926 (the same year US 49 was commissioned). But these are just coincidences, because this particular ferry has never carried vehicles.

If you're ever in the area, and you'd like a cold drink and some good, fresh seafood, I recommend Kimball's (which has been around for almost as long as US 49). It's a neat little family place with a lot of character, a few miles west in nearby Pass Christian - come as you are. You can click here to view one of their brochures I picked up.