Historic US highway endpoint in Madison, NC

1932-2003
Starting in 1932, US 411[ii] came into Madison heading west on Academy Street.  At Market Street was its junction with US 311, but it probably did not end there.  Rather, US 411 was likely dual-signed with US 311 north on Market, ending in two blocks at Murphy Street (which is the center of the town's historic commercial district).  But that arrangement lasted for only two years: in 1934, US 220 was extended through the area, following what is now Business 220 through Madison, and replacing US 311 to the north of town.  This action resulted in the elimination of US 411, and US 311 was truncated to Madison, again most likely at the intersection of Market and Murphy.  How do we know the endpoint of these routes was not at Market and Academy?  From this image, which was looking south from Murphy along Market, and which shows US 311 co-signed with US 220:
Picture
c. 1940, Waters (linked to source)
During the early years of the US highway system, it was quite common for routes to end in the center of the town they served.  This interactive image is looking north on Market; US 411 (and later US 311) ended at the intersection ahead (Murphy)...
...but at some point, US 311 was shortened by two blocks, ending at its junction with US 220.  These photos were looking east on Academy, approaching Market:
Picture
Curley, 2000
That tab originally read "ENDS".  For some reason the "S" was covered up, but it still showed through a bit, as can be seen on this photo:
Picture
Browne, Apr. 2006
Even though the current US 220 freeway was built in 1961, the US 311 designation was never extended to that route (which is about a mile straight ahead).  Rather, for the next 40+ years, its terminus remained on Academy at Market (which was re-designated as Business 220).  ​This next shot was looking south on Market:
Picture
Summa, 1996
From 1932 to 1934, that was southbound on both US 311 and US 411, which split ahead, going opposite directions on Academy.  Then that became the point where US 311 and US 220 diverged.  But by the time of that photo, US 311 had been truncated by two blocks, and it began to the right.  ​Turning that direction, this last photo shows what was formerly the first US 311 confirming marker heading west on Academy:
Picture
Summa, 1996
Research and/or photo credits: Mike Browne; Chris Curley; Mike Roberson; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa; H. Lee Waters
Page originally created 1999;
last updated Nov. 19, 2017.