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100 years of US routes: 1926-2026
Endpoints of
Mileage: in 1989 AASHTO listed a figure of 270 miles for US 401... however, that included the mileage of US 401's associated business routes. According to the state subtotals on AASHTO's 1989 spreadsheet, mainline US 401's actual end-to-end total at the time was 250 miles. That closely matches our own 2020 measurement, which yielded 251.9 miles. Want historic mileages? Our handy reference book includes the mileages that were published in all 13 of AASHO/AASHTO's historic route logs (spanning the years 1927 to 1989).
The original US 401 was commissioned in 1927; it was entirely in Virginia, running between South Hill and South Boston along what is now US 58. That designation was decommissioned in 1931. Maps from the following year show a second US 401 -- this one serving Raleigh NC, Walterboro SC, and points between -- but this road was decommissioned after only two years, mostly replaced by US 15.
Sumter
It was not until 1956 that the US 401 designation was resurrected again; it is this third version that still exists today. Since then, the south end of US 401 has always been in Sumter:
c. 1962, SC DoT
These photos were looking west on Calhoun Street; the intersection is Washington Street, which once served as US 76-521, but apparently the routing of US 521 was changed a bit at the time some of these photos were taken. The "End" assembly was moved and changed to "Ends" in about 2013:
Dawson, Dec. 2001
Nitzman, May 2007
Turner, Aug. 2024
This shot was taken from the opposite direction (east) on Calhoun, which is SC hwy. 763 at this point; US 401 begins on the other side of the light (Washington):
Dawson, Dec. 2001
The first northbound US 401 sign is near the yellow pedestrian signs in the distance; it is shown in more detail here:
Dawson, Dec. 2001
Nitzman, May 2007
In about a half-mile, Calhoun becomes Oswego Highway, which veers to the northeast, towards Darlington. These next shots were taken from Washington; the south beginning of US 401 is to the east on Calhoun:
Nitzman, May 2007
Turner, Aug. 2024
Wise
Originally the north end of US 401 was in Norlina. In 2001 the designation was extended about seven miles to the north, overlapped with US 1. These shots were taken looking that direction, showing US 401's current terminus at North Carolina's northernmost I-85 interchange:
Nitzman, June 2005
Robb, Apr. 2006
Karners, Dec. 2016 (removed after 2018)
Here, we are looking the opposite direction (south on US 1) at the north beginning of US 401 and its first (and now second) southbound confirming markers:
Nasiatka, Aug. 2003
Karners, Dec. 2016
Nitzman, June 2005
Karners, Dec. 2016
And lastly, here are some views of the north beginning of US 401 as seen from I-85:
Nitzman, June 2005
Turner, Aug. 2024
Research and/or image credits: David Dawson; Karin and Martin Karner; J.P. Nasiatka; Alex Nitzman; Bob Robb; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa; Charles Turner
Page originally created 2000;last updated May 18, 2025.
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