Historic US highway endpoints in Maryhill, WA
US 830 was first routed to the Maryhill area in about 1933, but originally it ended at a different point (photos and more info on the main US 830 page). It was about 1949 when the junction of US 97 and US 830 (today's WA hwy. 14) was upgraded to its current configuration. So the east end of US 830 was there until its decommissioning in 1968. Also, when US 197 was first commissioned in 1952, it was co-signed with US 830 to this same junction:
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From bottom center, the road heading north past The Dalles is US 197, which joined US 830 near Dallesport, and the two routes were concurrent to the east. Coming north from Wasco was US 97, which was still using a ferry to cross the Columbia. Just north of Maryhill was the junction with US 197-830, which began to the west, while US 97 continued northward through Goldendale.
To the left is signed as northbound US 97, but that is actually "Spur US 97" leading to mainline 97. Straight ahead and down the hill is WA 14, but it is also signed as southbound 97. So my guess is that signage for eastbound US 830 (and later US 197) ended here. Modern signage in the distance is shown close-up here:
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Next is a view from southbound US 97, which continues by turning left ahead (where the van is). Straight ahead is signed as westbound WA 14, but it is actually "Spur US 97" leading to mainline WA 14:
So, heading that direction, straight ahead was signed as the east beginning of US 830 (and later the beginning of US 197). The turning van will soon reach the junction with mainline WA 14, shown here:
Southbound US 97 continues to the left with eastbound WA 14. Of course westbound WA 14 is to the right, but it is not signed that way because drivers here would have already had an opportunity to go that direction (via Spur 97). Likewise, although US 830 (and later US 197) was to the right, it probably would not have been signed here.
US 830 was decommissioned in 1968, replaced with WA 14. When WSDoT removed the 830 signs, they also removed the US 197 signs between here and Dallesport. AASHTO was not informed about this until nearly 40 years later, so even though the signed end of US 197 has long been near Dallesport, AASHTO's records indicated that this junction near Maryhill was its official north end until 2006 (more on the main US 197 page).
US 830 was decommissioned in 1968, replaced with WA 14. When WSDoT removed the 830 signs, they also removed the US 197 signs between here and Dallesport. AASHTO was not informed about this until nearly 40 years later, so even though the signed end of US 197 has long been near Dallesport, AASHTO's records indicated that this junction near Maryhill was its official north end until 2006 (more on the main US 197 page).
Research and/or photo credits: Chris Elbert; Jeff Morrison; Dale Sanderson
Page originally created 2004;
last updated Mar. 9, 2019.
last updated Mar. 9, 2019.