The Highways of North Carolina
N.C. 38 
< 37 | Home | 39 >
Photo: NC 38 northbound leaving the Palmetto State (Lyndon Young)		 NC 38
N.C. 38  6 miles
The Road: Begins at US 74 Business Hamlet and ends shortly thereafter at the South Carolina State Line all within Richmond County. The route continues 43 more miles as SC 38 to US 501 near Marion, SC.
Towns and Attractions: Richmond Co.: Hamlet  
History: NC 38 was born in the 1937 South Carolina Renumbering, replacing NC 771 in its entirety. It ran just like it does today, except originally it connected to US 74 via 3rd St until between 1954-57.

1936 Official
NC 771-SC 96 south of Hamlet
1938 Official
NC-SC 38 south of Hamlet

The original NC 38 was born out of the 1934 Great Renumbering, replacing NC 301 #3. It ran from US 17 Folkstone east to Sneads Ferry along today's Folkstone Rd (not modern NC 172), then headed north on today's NC 172 to the New River.
In 1937, NC 38 was renumbered as NC 86.
1933 Official
NC 301 #3
1935 Gousha
NC 38 replaces NC 301
1940 Gen Draft
NC 86 replaces NC 38

Comments:
NC 38 is a rather short route, but SC 38 has become a corridor for I-73, and has been four-laned from Bennettsville to I-95.
SC 38 was once the main highway to get to Myrtle Beach, in the days before US 501.
Last Update: 27 April 2008

Previous: N.C. 37  |  Next: N.C. 39
Top  |  NCRoads.com Home ------------------------------------------------