NC 55 Durham to Franklinton 1929 VDOT Official

NC 91 Durham to Franklinton 1930 Official

Original NC 13 1924 Official

NC 13 becomes NC 55 1930 Official

In 1932, NC 55 was extended south with US 15/NC 75 through Durham, Apex and Fuquay Springs. NC 55 then jogged east with US 401/NC 21 to Cardenas, then replaced NC 210 #2 south through Angier and Erwin, then south as new routing to US 301/NC 22 Godwin.

NC 210 #2 1930 Official

NC 55 extended south from Durham 1933 Official

In the Great Renumbering in 1934, NC 55 was removed from US 501 from Durham northward. This route is still US 501 today except it used Main St through Roxboro and US 501 Business in northern Durham.
Also during the renumbering, NC 55 was rerouted at Erwin to continue east with US 421 to Dunn, then as new primary routing to Newton Grove, then replacing NC 117 through Mt. Olive and Kinston before ending at US 70 (now part of NC 55) Jasper. The Erwin to Godwin route became NC 82.

NC 117 Newton Grove to Jasper
1932 Gousha

NC 55 replacing NC 117
1935 Gousha

NC 55 ends at Jasper 1936 Official

NC 55 ends at Clarks 1938 Official

NC 302 Bridgeton to Oriental 1924 Official

NC 55 extended to Oriental 1940 Official

NC 55 swaps with US 70 1941-42 Official

NC 55 with US 64 duplex 1941-42 Official

NC 55 rerouted to Apex 1953 Official

Between 1958-62, NC 55 was rerouted around the north side of Mt. Olive, leaving behind SR 1147 Smith Chapel Hwy, SR 1141-1004 Main St, and SR 1969 Church St.

NC 55 through Mt. Olive 1957 Wayne County

NC 55 bypasses Mt. Olive 1962 Wayne County

In December 2002 (mtr post from John Lansford), NC 55 was put on a new bypass west around Holly Springs, leaving behind NC 55 Bus. The new routing was signed as NC 55 BYPASS while the route through town (since donwgraded to SR 6107 outside town limits and the rest is no longer in the state highway system) was signed as bannerless NC 55.

NC 55 through Holly Springs 2000 Official

NC 55 Bus through Holly Springs 2004 Official

Durham changes:
Initially NC 55 used Roxboro St/Mangum St south to Chapel Hill St, then west to Vickers Ave south to University and out of town.
In 1933, NC 55 switched to using Cleveland instead of Mangum, then east on Holloway then south on Roxboro/Pine, then southwest on Lakewood to Duke Ave.
In late 1934, NC 55 north ended at Geer St (US 15 then) from Roxboro St.
When NC 55 moved to a direct Apex route in 1948, it left Roxboro St at E. Main (then US 70A) and went east to Alston Ave which it followed south to Third Fork Creek before branching on new routing southward.
Between 1954-57, NC 55 was taken off Main St and Roxboro Rd and instead continued north on Alston to Avondale to end at US 501 Business, which is NC 55's routing still today through Durham.

NC 55 in Durham (1932) 1932 Texaco

NC 55 in Durham (1933-48) 1944 Durham County

NC 55 in Durham (1948-mid 50s) 1949 Durham County

NC 55 in Durham (since mid 50s) 1957 Durham County

Kinston changes:
Between 1945-49, NC 55 was reoruted within Kinston. After the US 70 swap, NC 55 entered from Greene St, then east on Vernon and northeast on Minerva St out of town with NC 11. Now NC 55 used Greene to King St east to East St north to Washington St east to Minerva St on out of town. The old route through central Kinston became NC 11-A.
In 1952, NC 55 was rerouted to use King St across the Neuse River as it runs today. This left behind US 70-258 and today's SR 1341 between Jacksons Store and US 258.

NC 11-55 through central Kinston 1944 Lenoir County

NC 11-55 rerouted away from central Kinston 1949 Lenoir County

NC 11-55 rerouted onto King 1953 Lenoir County

New Bern changes: Initially (i.e. 1940), NC 55 used Neuse Blvd to Front St, then north to Queen St then northeast across the Neuse River to Bridgeton.
Between 1950-53, a new bridge was built and NC 55 (with US 17) stayed on Neuse Blvd straight through. In Bridgeton, the NC 55 split was further south than before - originally at C St and Bridge St - now at D St and Galloway. Some of C St was now US 17 and C St below D St became NC 55-A.
Around 2001, the Neuse Blvd bridge was closed and instead NC 55 followed US 70 Bus Front St over the Trent River, then picked up the new US 17 bridge over the Neuse River. In the process, NC 55 was taken off Galloway St in Bridgeton and it received new construction to leave US 17.
In 2003, NC 55 was rerouted again in New Bern. NC 55 now leaves Neuse Blvd at 1st St which turns into Pembroke Rd. This connects to the US 17-70 bypass which NC 55 follows to the current Neuse River bridge. The Neuse Blvd-Front St route remains US 70 Business.

NC 55 in New Bern (1940-early 50s) 1949 Craven County

NC 55 in New Bern (early 50s-2001) 1953 Craven County

NC 55 in New Bern (2001-2003) 2002 Official

NC 55 in New Bern (since 2003) 2003 Official