End of US highway 63 |
1927-1934
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1934-1939
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1939-1999
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1999-present
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*During these years, Memphis TN was the south end of US 63 according to AASHTO. However, I have not seen any evidence suggesting that US 63 was ever signposted anywhere beyond West Memphis until 1999.
US 63 was an original 1926 route, but it ran only from US 61 at Turrell to Des Moines (north from Oskaloosa, US 63 essentially followed what is now IA 163). Photos and info about all of US 63's historic south endpoints in Arkansas are available on the West Memphis page. In 1934, the US 63 designation was truncated at Oskaloosa IA, and traffic was instead directed north along its current route: through Waterloo, Rochester MN, and northwest Wisconsin. Originally US 63 was signed along the roads that are now designated WI hwys. 112 and 118, ending right in downtown Ashland: |
...however, US 63 was not immediately truncated to its junction with US 2. Rather, for the next 50 years it was dual-signed with US 2 to its historic endpoint in Ashland. At some point (possibly in the 1950s) US 2 was removed from Main Street (nee 2nd St) and instead followed Lake Shore Drive (nee Front St) all the way through town (its current routing). At that time, US 63's terminus would have moved one block to the northwest, such that it ended on Lake Shore at Vaughn. And when Wisconsin highway 13 moved to Ellis Avenue, US 63 may have been extended along Lake Shore to Ellis.
1990 was the year that the overlap with US 2 was eliminated, and US 63 was shortened to its current terminus: |
This photo shows signage ahead at the actual junction; Ashland is to the east (right), while to the west lie the twin ports of Superior WI and Duluth MN:
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These next photos show the north beginning of US 63 as seen from westbound and eastbound US 2, respectively:
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In 1999, the US 63 designation was extended south (by taking a sharp turn at West Memphis and heading in an entirely different direction) to a new endpoint in Ruston. To many highway enthusiasts, this seemed like an unnecessary and ill-advised move (commentary and photos on Jeff Morrison's page). This photo shows one of the last US 63 signs heading south:
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The junction with I-20 is now the endpoint of US 63:
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Research and/or photo credits: Chris Bessert; Josh Bumgardner; Karin and Martin Karner; Jeff Morrison; Dale Sanderson
Page originally created 2000;
last updated July 5, 2017.
last updated July 5, 2017.