The Highways of North Carolina
N.C. 581 
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Photo: NC 581 crossing US 264 ALT in Bailey (Adam Prince)
NC 581
N.C. 581  73 miles
The Road: Begins at NC 111 near Elroy (Wayne County) and ends at US 401/NC 39-56 Louisburg (Franklin County) .
Towns and Attractions: Wayne Co:Goldsboro, Cherry Hospital
Wilson County:None
Nash County:Bailey, Spring Hope
Franklin Co:Louisville
History: NC 581 was created in 1933 as new routing, running from US 264/NC 91 (current US 264 ALT) Bailey north to US 64/NC 90 (current US 64 ALT) Spring Hope. This appears to have no continuity with a NC 581 shown on the 1932 Texaco map which shows NC 581 running from Bailey east to Rocky Mount, a partial renumbering of NC 58 which used Old Bailey Hwy south from Nashville, Smithfield Rd and Pine St in Bailey.
The following 3 scans illustrate:
1930 Official
NC 58 Nashville to Bailey
1932 Texaco
NC 581 Bailey to Rocky Mount
1933 Official
NC 581 Bailey to Spring Hope


The 1934 Esso; 1934 and 1935 Gousha show NC 581 extended west along US 64 and then new routing through Bunn to end at NC 91 Wake Forest (NC 91 used SR 2053 Jones Dairy Rd back then).
The 1935 Esso and Officials afterward show this NC 581 extension numbered as NC 98, with NC 581 again ending at US 64 Spring Hope
1935 Gousha
NC 581 extended to Wake Forest?
1936 Official
NC 98 replacing NC 581


In 1937, NC 581 was extended south as new routing to US 301 near Lucama.
In 1940 or 1941, NC 581 was extended north to NC 56 Mapleville and possibly to Louisburg (maps never do make clear when this occurred).
In 1947 or 1948, NC 581 was extended south to at least US 70 near Rosewood. The 1948 Amoco shows NC 111 still west from Goldsboro to the State Hospital.
In 1949 or 1950, NC 581 was definitely south of US 70 to what is now Cherry Hospital, then east replacing NC 111 to end at US 70 Bus-117 Bus in Goldsboro.
In 2000, NC 581 was placed on the US 13-117 bypass south a couple miles, then east as upgraded routing to end at NC 111. The portion of NC 581 along W. Ash St became SR 2075.
1954 Official
NC 581 extended to Goldsboro
2003 Official
NC 581 extended to NC 111

Comment:
A TRUCK NC 581 exists today in Bailey, as shown in the title photo of this page. It appears the purpose is to bypass a railroad underpass and probably uses Main St to get back over to NC 581.
NC 581 is mislabeled as NC 518 on the 1961 Rand McNally.

Last Update: 17 August 2007

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