NC 8 (1930-35) 1931 Official

NC 8 (1936-38) 1936 Official

NC 8 (1939-40) 1939 Official

In late 1940 Virginia and North Carolina agreed on making all routes the same number at their border crossings. Thus, VA 8 (there since 1933) becoming NC 109 just wouldn't do. So NC 8 was extended from Lexington north along US 52 (using 3rd St. in Lexington) to Winston-Salem, then replacing NC 109 through northern Forsyth County and all of Stokes County to the Virginia State Line. NC 8 was routed in downtown Winston-Salem to leave Main St at 5th St east to Patterson St north, briefly breaking away from US 52.

NC 109 north of W-S 1939 Official

NC 8 takes over 1941 Official

Between 1945-49, NC 8 was rerouted north of Winston-Salem by being removed from Indiana, Cherry St, and part of Germantown Rd and placed on Patterson Av out to Germantown Rd.

NC 8 original Forsyth County route 1944 Forsyth County

NC 8 changes in Forsyth County 1949 Forsyth County

NC 8 was quiet for a while, but in 1953 it was extended west along NC 49, then south to New London, replacing the 3rd NC 6.

NC 6 making the cutoff 1948 Rand McNally

NC 8 wins out 1953 Official

About 1954, NC 8 was placed on one way splits in Winston-Salem using 4th St (SB) and 5th St (EB).
In 1960, NC 8 was moved from Main St to Old Salem Rd in the Salem College area.
In 1962, NC 8 in Winston-Salem was changed from to Main St-5th St-Liberty (NB) and Liberty-1st (SB).
It appears that by 1965 NC 8 was moved from 3rd St. to 6th St in Lexington.
About 1964, the North-South Freeway was finished from a little south of I-40 (today's Green 40) north out of town. NC 8 northbound was placed on I-40 from Main St east to the North-South Freeway, then north along the freeway out of town (US 52 followed NC 8 through all this). Southbound NC 8 exited the North-South Freeway at Liberty St and still went through Downtown Winston-Salem, using Main St to exit town. Patterson Ave above Liberty has been secondary ever since. Liberty St east of Patterson has only been primary routing during this odd arrangement.
In December 1973 (NCDOT), the rest of the North-South Freeway was completed, and US 52/NC 8 was placed on it, eliminating the odd route split. All the surface streets used by NC 8 southbound have been secondary ever since. The scans below show the Winston-Salem evolution:

Through town 1958 Official

Bypasses Salem College 1960 Official

NC 8 reunited with US 52 1963 Official

Split routing 1965 Official

All freeway 1972 Official

In June 1972 (NCDOT), NC 8 was placed on one-way splits in Lexington. NC 8 NB used Main and 6th (now MLK Blvd.) and NC 8 SB used the original NC 8 of Winston and 5th.
In June 1981 (NCDOT), NC 8 was extended south from New London, replacing SR 1440 west to the US 52 New London bypass.

US 52 through New London 1980 Stanly County

US 52 around New London 1990 Stanly County

US 52/NC 8 was moved onto more new freeway between Winston-Salem and Lexington in two steps, bypassing Midway January 1982 (NCDOT), then bypassing Welcome between 1991-93.

No freeway south of W-S 1979 Official

Bypassing Midway 1982 Official

No longer Welcome 1993 Official

NC 8 rerouted within Lexington 2009 Official

In April 2002 (NCDOT), NC 8 was rerouted in Lexington, taking it off of its Main St routing in Lexington (old US 29-70 from way back) and using 5th/6th down to Raleigh Rd (old US 64) to Talbert Blvd. all the way back to Cotton Grove Rd near Main St. This is shown explicitly on the 2006 Online Davidson County Map