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100 years of US routes: 1926-2026
US route endpoint in
1930-1961
US 321 was commissioned in 1930; at the time it ran from Bristol TN, through Boone, and down into South Carolina. US 421 was commissioned that same year, and its north end was originally at its junction with US 321 in Boone. Two years later, US 421 was extended north and west from Boone, through Bristol, along what had been US 321! So US 321 was truncated to Boone, ending at US 421:
c. 1956, Gousha
It is unclear why the US 321 designation was not simply extended west from Bristol.
When this 1950 photo was taken, US 321 still ended in Boone; the sign assembly on the left was for traffic at the north terminus of US 321:
c. 1950 (linked to source)
The right-hand sign assembly was for southbound US 221 and northbound US 421 traffic, which came from the right on King Street, but those routes split here, with US 421 continuing ahead on King, and US 221 turning left (south) on Hardin Street. Also to the south on Hardin was the north beginning of US 321. The following photo shows a more recent version of that same assembly (but note that US 221 no longer comes to this same intersection):
Elkins
In 1930, US 321 followed the same route that is indicated on that assembly, but US 421 went only as far as that junction and ended there. Then in 1932, US 421 was extended north (ahead on King, as it is today), and US 321 was truncated such that its north beginning was to the left on Hardin. That remained the case until 1960, which is when US 321 was extended west out of Boone again (although it goes to Elizabethton TN now, not Bristol).
Research and/or image credits: H.B. Elkins; Mike Roberson; Dale Sanderson
Page originally created 2006;last updated May 23, 2025.
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