NC 90 in 1922
1922 Auto Trails

In 1924, NC 90 was removed from Mackeys Rd east of Plymouth and put on today's NC 32 except in Roper where it used Main St.
In 1926, NC 90 was rerouted at Eagle Rock to follow US 64 Bus to Wendell, then Shepard School Rd.

NC 90 through Wakefield 1923 Auto Trails

NC 90 through Wendell and Zebulon 1926 Official

In 1927, NC 90 was put on today's NC 94 from Creswell to Columbia and on modern US 64 between Williamston and Jamesville (minus Sweetwater Creek causeway).
Also in 1927, NC 90 was extended west through Raleigh with NC 50 to Cary (via Edenton St, then west through the Capitol Square and west on Hillsborough St. to Cary. NC 50-90 followed Chatham St), then headed west as new primary routing to Pittsboro via Roanoke Ct and Jenks Rd, then US 64 to Wilsonville, then abandoned routing to the north of the current main Jordan Lake bridge, then southwest on abandoned routing across the Seaford Beach land access and across Parkers Creek, then used the E-W portion of SR 1941 Seaforth Rd across Pea Ridge Rd, then more abandoned routing across the Haw River, then picked up SR 1943 Hanks Chapel Rd to Pittsboro (used SR 1945 Hanks Loop Rd), then US 64 Bus to Pittsboro. Within Pittsboro, NC 90 used Thompson St.
Then NC 90 replaced NC 75 all the way out to Lenoir:
NC 90 used 64 Bus west and US 64 to Siler City except for brief loops on Stage Coach Rd and Old Siler City Rd. NC 90 used 3rd St through Siler City, then "Old US 64", then Benjie Williams Rd and Graham Moore Rd. NC 90 then followed US 64 to Ramseur.
NC 90 used NC 22 northwest to Franklinville, then Pleasant Cross Rd back to US 64. NC 90 then followed US 64 to Asheboro where it picked up Salisbury St to NC 42 west, then Lexington Rd, Flint Hill-Hillsville Rd and Old Lexington Rd.
NC 90 picked back up US 64, then Pleasant Grove Rd which zig-zags across 64 a few times. The road becomes SR 2205 in Davidson County and Raleigh Rd into Lexington. NC 90 used Main St (then US 70-170) over to 5th St, then used 5th St out of town.
NC 90 used Old Mocksville Rd and Old US 64 to the Yadkin River, then US 64 to Mocksville except it used John Crotts Rd and Aubrey Merrel Rd. In Mocksville NC 90 used Depot St, Main St, Avon St and Wilkeboro St. NC 90 then followed US 64, then NC 901 to V Point. NC 90 used OLd Mocksville Rd and Dunlap Gate Rd to US 21/NC 26, which NC 90 followed south to Statesville.
NC 90 initially used today's US 64 through Statesville, then picked up today's NC 90 at I-40. NC 90 used its current route to Taylorsville, and used Main St initially. NC 90 then used "Old NC 90" from Ellendale, then modern NC 90, possibly Oak Hill Park Rd, Millers Creek Rd, and more 90. NC 90 then ended at NC 18 Lenoir (or possibly at the NC 17-18 jct).
In 1929, NC 90 was rerouted east of Statesville to use modern US 64 to NC 901.

Also in 1929, NC 90 was extended east as new primary routing from Columbia, using Road St to hug Albermarle Sound around to end at Fort Landing.
About 1930, NC 90 was rerouted east of Columbia to use New Rd to cutoff part of Road St.

NC 90 extended to Ft. Landing 1929 Official

NC 90 using New Rd (mileage change) 1930 Official

In 1932, US 64 was assigned to NC 90 from Statesville east to Fort Landing.
Also in 1932, NC 90 was put on newly constructed highway between Pittsboro and Seaforth, using today's US 64 Bus, Foxfire Trace, and US 64 to Parkers Creek where the 1932 route was northeast across what is now Jordan Lake until nearly Wilsonville. Special thanks to Lukas Salay for identifying this early NC 90 routing.

This map shows the 1927 and 1932 routings of NC 90 clearly shown, before Jordan Lake was created 1962 Chatham County

This map shows the 1927 routing broken up by the formation of the lake 1980 Chatham County

In late 1934, NC 90 was dropped east of Statesville to end at the current US 64-70/NC 90 jct west of town, but also extended west to its current ending in Edgemont. Lenoir to Edgemont was a replacement for NC 171.

NC 171 Lenoir to Edgemont 1929 Official

NC 90 replaces NC 171 1935 Official

Between 1939-44, NC 90 was extended east to its current ending, replacing what had been US 64's routing through town.

NC 90 not in central Statesville 1936 Iredell County

NC 90 extended back east 1944 Iredell County

Between 1963-68, NC 90 was removed from Old NC 90 west of Taylorsville.
In June 1964 (NCDOT), NC 90 was rerouted in Lenoir. Originally it used Harper St west to Main St north. Now NC 90 WB left Harper via Mulberry, then used W St to the courthouse and Main St. NC 90 EB still used Main to Harper.
Between 1980-82, NC 90 was rerouted in Lenoir again where NC 90 WB left Harper on Ridge St to W Ave.

In Aug 1992 (NCDOT), US 64/NC 90 was removed from Front St west of Newton Dr and instead uses Newton Dr and Carner Bagnal Blvd in western Statesville.

NC 90 using Front St in West Statesville 1990 Iredell County

NC 90 removed from Front St in West Statesville 1999 Iredell County

In May 2005 (NCDOT) then reaffirmed in Dec 2012 (NCDOT), NC 90 was removed from central Lenoir. NC 90 was moved onto US 321 around the north of town to Valmead, then south on what had just been US 321-A to get back to its route heading west to Edgemont.

NC 90 through Lenoir up through 1964 1962 Caldwell County

NC 90 splits up 1968 Caldwell County

NC 90 WB split changes 1982 Caldwell County

NC 90 removed from Lenoir entirely 2020 Caldwell County