Current and historic US highway endpoints in Wilson, NC
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1927-present
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c. 1931, Gousha
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On the south edge of Wilson is a historic highway intersection where two of the inaugural 1926 routes joined, although both of those designations have long since been retired. This image was taken looking south on today's US 117. Historically this was US 17-1, and US 217 began to the right on what is now Dixie Inn Road:
Sanderson, Jun. 2019
In the early years of the US route system, it was a common practice to sign all routes into the city center, even when that resulted in a significant overlap with another route. So here, it certainly could have been the case that US 217 extended behind the camera with US 17-1 for about five miles, ending in downtown Wilson. But in this particular instance I am not aware of any evidence for an overlap, suggesting that US 217 may have ended at that junction without quite making it all the way into Wilson.
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In 1932 both the US 17-1 and US 217 designations were retired, replaced with other routes. At that time, the perspective shown above became that of a driver heading south on US 301, which continued to the right on Dixie Inn. Straight ahead may have been the north beginning of US 117... again depending whether it overlapped with US 301 to an endpoint in downtown Wilson. This image was looking north towards the intersection:
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Sanderson, Jun. 2019
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Historically US 301 came towards the camera, then curved to the left via Dixie Inn. (Heading that direction, Dixie Inn aligns with modern US 301, but today it is a dead-end road, because in about a half-mile it gets interrupted by the I-795 freeway.) So US 117 may have ended at that junction, or it may have overlapped with US 301 ahead, ending in Wilson proper.
There is no question that, in about 1951, US 117 was indeed extended ahead about a mile, because that is when US 301 was changed to follow its current alignment through this area. In that photo a curve to the left is visible, but that is a more recent realignment that became necessary when the US 264 freeway was built. Originally US 117 (and US 301 before that, and US 17-1 before that) angled slightly to the right, aligning with Dorothy Lane on the south side of the freeway, and with Lattice Road on the north side.
There is no question that, in about 1951, US 117 was indeed extended ahead about a mile, because that is when US 301 was changed to follow its current alignment through this area. In that photo a curve to the left is visible, but that is a more recent realignment that became necessary when the US 264 freeway was built. Originally US 117 (and US 301 before that, and US 17-1 before that) angled slightly to the right, aligning with Dorothy Lane on the south side of the freeway, and with Lattice Road on the north side.
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By 1975, US 117 certainly did end at its junction with US 301 (rather than extending into Wilson), and that was still the case at the time of this photo...
Prince, July 2000
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...and as of 2019 junction signage was still posted at the old location, even though Lattice is no longer a major road:
Sanderson, Jun. 2019
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Those images were looking north on old US 117; traffic used a slip ramp to the right (now gone) to merge with northbound US 301, while drivers wanting southbound 301 curved left to a stop sign. The shots below were looking the opposite direction (south out of Wilson on US 301):
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Prince, July 2000
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The overhead signs were for US 301 south (to the right) and US 117 south (to the left). Now that the US 264 freeway has been built just ahead, drivers can still turn left, but that is no longer US 117. Today the north beginning of US 117 is reached by going about a mile further ahead on US 301... but first we will discuss an interim endpoint. When the US 264 bypass was built around the southwest edge of Wilson in 2002, the US 117 designation was extended along that route to a new terminus at its interchange with I-95. Here is a view of signage at that exit from southbound I-95:
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Nasiatka, Nov. 2004
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If a traveler were to take that exit, they would soon see the first southbound confirming marker:
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Prince, May 2003
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However, that arrangement did not last long: in late 2007 that portion of US 264-117 was designated as I-795. Consequently the US 117 designation was removed from that segment, and now US 117 ends at its junction with US 301, which is about a half-mile west of its original endpoint, and about a mile south of its second endpoint. These photos show the beginning of US 117 from both southbound and northbound US 301, respectively:
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Sanderson, Jun. 2019
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Nelson, May 2009
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For drivers turning that direction, the first southbound confirming marker was posted almost immediately:
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Sanderson, Jun. 2019
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Just around the curve in the background is the aforementioned historical junction with Dixie Inn. Heading the opposite direction (north on US 117), the last northbound marker was posted just to the south of Dixie Inn, on a railroad overpass:
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Sanderson, Jun. 2019
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That yellow curve sign is interesting, because the two side roads referenced on it are both historic US highway alignments: Dixie Inn (to the left), and Dorothy Ln (to the right). Ahead, at the junction with US 301, there was no "End US 117" assembly, but there was an assemblage of references to other routes:
Sanderson, Jun. 2019
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Turner, Jul. 2024
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Heading the opposite direction (east on St. Marys Church Rd), all of the other routes were referenced, but there was no mention of the fact that US 117 begins straight ahead:
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Turner, Jul. 2024
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Research and/or photo credits: J.P. Nasiatka; Steven Nelson; Adam Prince; Mike Roberson; Dale Sanderson; Charles Turner
Page originally created 1999;
last updated Jul. 22, 2024.
last updated Jul. 22, 2024.
