NCRoads.com: U.S. 25

U.S. 25
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Photo: US 25 freeway near Hendersonville. US 25 now continues straight ahead instead of NC 225. (Adam Prince)

U.S. 25 80 miles

The Road:

Enters from South Carolina below Tuxedo (Rutherford County) and leaves into Tennessee near Antioch (Madison County). Nationally the road runs from US 17 Brunswick, GA to US 42-127 Cincinnati, OH

Towns and Attractions:

Henderson Co.: Hendersonville, E Flat Rock
Buncombe Co.: Skyland, Biltmore Forest, Biltmore Estate, Asheville, Weaverville
Madison Co.: Marshall, Hot Springs, Pisgah Nat'l Forest

History:

US 25 is an original US Highway. In North Carolina it was attached to NC 29 from the South Carolina line through Hendersonville to Asheville, then followed US 70/NC 20 through Hot Springs to Tennessee. Oddly, I can find NO map from any source that labels US 25 in North Carolina north of Asheville until 1932. North Carolina Officials do label US 25 in Tennessee between Newport and the NC line back to 1929 but do not label it in NC. AASHO references clearly do not indicate a gap, so this may be a quirk in map labeling.

US 25 initially used "Old US 25" from the South Carolina line, then today's NC 225 through Tuxedo, Flat Rock and into Hendersonville. US 25 used Main St through downtown Hendersonville, then current US 25 Bus out of town.
Past I-26, US 25 followed its current routing (Old Asheville Hwy was already bypassed by 1926) through Skyland to Biltmore Forest. From here US 25 used Biltmore Ave north to downtown Asheville, following Merrimon Ave north of Asheville. About halfway to Weaverville, US 25 (with US 70) cut west on Heavner Rd to NC 251, then used NC 251 to about where US 25-70 Business comes in. US 25 then crossed the RR to abandoned routing along the French Broad River, then Rollins Rd. US 25 then picked up US 25-70 Business through Marshall and US 25-70 west of there. At Walnut, US 25 used NC 213 to the village, then SR 1349 back out to modern 25-70. West of Hot Springs, US 25 followed a gnarlier route to Tennessee that is a lot of abandoned pieces, plus Fairview Loop and a piece of Stokely Hollow Rd.
In 1928, NC 29 was renumbered as NC 69.
About 1933, US 25 was rerouted in Asheville to use McDowell St north from Biltmore Forest, then Southside Ave back over to Biltmore Ave. Only a small bit of NC 81 remains as primary routing on Biltmore Ave.

1932 Texaco U.S. 25, original Asheville approach
1932 Texaco 1935 Conoco U.S. 25, new Asheville approach
1935 Conoco

in late 1934, NC 69 was removed from US 25 below Asheville and NC 20 was removed from US 25 above Asheville.
In 1939 (bridge date), US 25 was removed from Hollins Rd etc east of Marshall and placed on current US 25-70 Business.

US 25 between river and RR
1938 Madison County
US 25 north of RR
1944 Madison County

Between 1954-57, US 25 was put on one-way splits in downtown Hendersonville. SB continued to use Main St while NB used King St north to US 64 7th St west back to Main.
Between 1958-62, US 25 SB was removed from Main St and moved to Church St, replacing US 25-A. Main St became SR 1851.
In 1960, US 25 was put on a newly constructed bypass around Marshall, leaving behind US 25 Business.
In October 1972 (NCDOT), US 25 NB in Hendersonville was removed from its 7th/Main jog and placed on King all the way.

US 25 on Main St
1944 Henderson County
US 25 NB splits to King while Church (US 25A)
and Main (US 25 SB) still shown as primary
1957 Henderson County
US 25 SB replaces US 25A on Church St
1962 Henderson County
US 25 NB removed from 7th/Main
1980 Henderson County

In October 1973 (NCDOT), US 25 was placed on new expressway from the South Carolina line to the first interchange, then replaced SR 1104 east to the old alignment. This left behind SR 1265 to the state line.
In February 1981 (NCDOT), US 25 was placed on more new expressway in the Tuxedo and Zirconia areas, leaving behing SR 1104 and more SR 1265 (all NC 225 today).
In January 1982 (NCDOT), US 25-70 was rerouted above Asheville to follow the US 19-23 freeway around Weaverville, then headed west as new construction to connect to the existing Marshall Bypass. Heavner Rd (some maps show Old Marshall Hwy) became SR 1839 and along the French Broad River became NC 251, including what had been the easternmost bit of the Marshall Bypass.

US 25-70 through Marshall
1959 Official
US 25-70 bypasses Marshall
1960 Official
US 25-70 hugging the French Broad
1979-80 Official
US 25-70 rerouted
1982-83 Official

In April 1987 (NCDOT), US 25-70 received its bypass of Walnut, leaving behind what is nowly partly NC 213.
About 1995, US 25-70 was straightened out west of Hot Springs leaving behind several loops of the old highway.
In Sept 2003 (NCDOT), US 25 was given its bypass of Hendersonville by replacing NC 225 from Zirconia to I-26, then duplexing with I-26/US 74 around Henderson to Asheville Hwy. The old route through Flat Rock to Hendersonville became a rerouted NC 225 and Asheville Hwy north of Hendersonville became US 25 Business.

1968 Henderson County U.S. 25, through Tuxedo
1968 Henderson County 1980 Henderson County U.S. 25, on new expressway at border
1980 Henderson County 1999 Official U.S. 25, bypasses Tuxedo
1999 Official 2004 Official U.S. 25, bypasses Hendersonville
2004 Official

Comments:

US 25 above Asheville is a good alternative to I-40 through the Smokies - there is not very much winding alignment left west of Marshall. DeLorme maps continue to not show improvements made west of Hot Springs that have straightened out the route.
US 25's last cutout was located on I-240 WB and was removed about 1990.
For some reason, US 25 is allowed to remain on Merrimon Ave even though all its friends are allowed to play in the freeway...

Last Update: 22 March 2025