Embedded Files
100 years of US routes: 1926-2026
Endpoints of
1926-1934
North: Des Moines, IA
South: Turrell, AR
1934-1940
North: Ashland, WI
South: Turrell, AR
1940-1999
North: near Ashland, WI
South: West Memphis, AR*
1999-present
North: near Ashland, WI
South: Ruston, LA
*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 in Tennessee.
Mileage: in 1989 AASHTO listed a figure of 1036 miles for US 63... however, that included the mileage of US 63's associated business routes. According to the state subtotals on AASHTO's 1989 spreadsheet, mainline US 63's actual end-to-end total at the time was 1001 miles. However, US 63 ended in the Memphis area at the time; since then it has been extended to Ruston, and our own 2020 measurement yielded 1279.8 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).
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.
Ashland
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:
c. 1935, Wisconsin DoT
It came north via Sanborn Avenue, and then went east with US 2 along 6th Street; the US 63 designation ended at the junction with WI 13 on Vaughn Avenue at 2nd Street. Here is a vintage photo showing the classic gas station that was formerly on that corner:
(date and attribution unknown)
In 1939, US 63 was truncated near Benoit, and instead redirected due north to the junction with US 2, about ten miles west of Ashland...
c. 1939, Rand McNally
c. 1940, Rand McNally
...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:
Morrison, July 2013 (unchanged since at least 2000)
Johnson, Apr. 2020
These photos show 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:
Morrison, Jul. 2013
Johnson, Apr. 2020
These next photos show the north beginning of US 63 as seen from westbound and eastbound US 2, respectively:
Morrison, Jul. 2013
Johnson, Apr. 2020
Morrison, Jul. 2013 (unchanged since at least 2006)
Drivers turning onto US 63 will soon see the first southbound marker:
Morrison, Jul. 2013
Ruston
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:
Bumgardner, Jun. 2007
The junction with I-20 is now the endpoint of US 63:
Bumgardner, Jun. 2007
Heading back the other way, the first northbound US 63 sign is also at that interchange:
Karners, Apr. 2014 (unchanged since 2007)
As of 2023, US 63 is still not mentioned on the exit signage from I-20.
Turner, Feb. 2023
Research and/or image credits: Chris Bessert; Josh Bumgardner; Peter Johnson; Karin and Martin Karner; Jeff Morrison; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa; Charles Turner
Page originally created 2000;last updated Aug. 09, 2025.
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