End of historic US highway 170

View a map showing this route.
Picture
Summa
1926-1931
  • North: Lynchburg, VA
  • South: Charlotte, NC
US 170 was approx. 206 miles in length.
US 170 was among the original routes of 1926; here is the description from AASHO's Apr. 1927 route log:
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c. 1927, National Map Co.
US 170 was a north/south route, so the fact that it was given an even number was somewhat unusual.  US x21 would have been a better choice... but in its defense, it was dual-signed with US 70 between Greensboro and Salisbury NC (a distance of about 50 miles).  US 170 was a short-lived route: it was swallowed up when US 29 was extended northward from Kings Mountain NC.  This map suggested the north end may have been on 12th Street at Main Street in Lynchburg:
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c. 1929, Automobile Blue Book
This photo was taken looking northeast on 12th.  Historically, the crossroad (Main) carried US 60 traffic, and US 170 ended at this junction:
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Karner, May 2013
In Charlotte, the south end of US 170 was on Tryon Street at Trade Street (see map below):
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c. 1931, Gousha
Today that intersection is known to locals as "The Square", and it marks the epicenter of the city:
Picture
Karner, May 2013
Research and/or photo credits: Martin Karner; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa
Page originally created 2005;
last updated Dec. 9, 2023.