SC 5 Blacksburg to Ft Lawn 1924 Blue Book

SC 5 extended to Great Falls 1929 Official

SC 5 projected to Ridgeway 1930 Official

If SC 5 ever used these alignments it stopped doing so by 1934: Augusta Rd at Rowell; S-12-524 north of Landsford; S-12-435/137/418 south of Landsford; S-12-199 Hindman Rd north of Ft. Lawn
In May 1937 (SCDOT), SC 5 was extended northwest as new primary routing from Blacksburg to SC 111 (now SC 18) near the North Carolina line.

SC 5 ending in Blacksburg 1930 Official

SC 5 extended to SC 18 1938 Official

In 1939, despite there still not being a completed route to Ridgeway, SC 5 was extended along US 21 south through Columbia to Dixiana, then replaced SC 3 south to Swansea, then replaced SC 6 south through Denmark to Olar where the route is shown as projected routing south towards Ulmers. SC 5 then also replaced SC 33 from Ulmers south through Fairfax and Estill before finally ending at US 17 Hardeeville. It is possible SC 5 replaced a designation of SC 33 ALT between today's SC 46 and US 17. SC 5 was 243 miles long at this point!
About 1940, SC 5 was rerouted in Columbia to run from Gervais-Assembly-Taylor-Main to instead use Gervais-Main.
In 1940, SC 5 was completed from Olar south to Ulmers.
Also in 1940, SC 5 was completed from Ridgeway north to today's S-20-41. The 1940 Official suggests a temporary connection to SC 22 (now SC 200) south of Great Falls was accomplished using today's S-20-41, S-20-101 to Bucklick, S-20-55,Debutary Rd (no longer crosses Crooked Creek, and S-20-268.
In 1941, SC 5 was completed the rest of the way from Ridgeway to Great Falls.

SC 5 opened several miles above Ridgeway 1940 Official

SC 5 finished to Great Falls 1941 Official

Between 1943-48, SC 5 was rerouted in Columbia from Gervais-Main to Gervais-Assembly-Elmwood-Main.

SC 5 (look at US 21) original Columbia route 1932 Texaco

SC 5 moved from Assembly-Taylor to Main directly 1942 Richland County

SC 5 moved to Assembly-Elwood 1948 Richland County

In 1950, SC 5 south was truncated all the way to US 21 Bus/SC 322 Rock Hill. Rock Hill to Ridgeway became US 21 (except SC 5 used Boundary St and Old US 21 through Ft Lawn); Ridgeway to Columbia remained US 21; Columbia to Hardeeville became US 321. Note that the last SC 5 routing in the Columbia area used US 1 across the river and the US 1-21 CONN Old Charleston Hwy in West Columbia.

SC 3 and SC 6 from Dixiana to Olar 1930 Official

SC 5 replaces SC 3 and SC 6 1939 Official

US 321 replaces SC 5 1950 Official

SC 33 Hardeeville north through Fairfax 1926 Official

SC 5 replaces SC 33 south of Ulmers 1939 Official

US 321 replaces SC 5 1950 Official

In 1951, SC 5 was given its direct routing from Kings Creek to York, replacing a bit of SC 55 and a chunk of SC 324. The old route became SC 907 (now SC 97) from Kings Creek to Hickory Grove; SC 211 Hickory Grove to Sharon; SC 91 Sharon to York.
In 1959, SC 5 was rerouted between York and Rock Hill, replacing S-46-55 plus some new construction to SC 322, then replacing a primary route I don't know the designation for along Main St to downtown Rock Hill and US 21 Business Oakland Ave. The old route became parts of SC 161 and SC 274.
In 1960, SC 5 was extended east with US 21 Business and US 21 to Lesslie, then replaced SC 504 to the Catawba River, then continued as new construction across the river and over to US 521 east of Van Wyck.

SC 5 direct from Blacksburg to York 1951 Official

SC 5 rerouted york to Rock Hill 1959 Official

SC 5 replaces SC 504 corridor 1960 Official

In 1963, SC 5 was placed on one-way pairs in downtown Rock Hill, with EB using Black St and WB using the existing route along Main St.
In 1965 (bridge date), SC 5 was placed on newly constructed bypass of Lesslie, leaving behind S-46-6, S-46-160, and S-46-37.

SC 5 through Lesslie 1963 York County

SC 5 bypasses Lesslie 1967 York County

In 1986 SC 5 was given its bypass around the north of York which took over some of S-46-75. The old route through thown became SC 5 Business.

SC 5 through York 1967 York County

SC 5 bypasses York 1986 York County

In 1988, SC 5 was removed from Main St in downtown Rock Hill with both directions using Black St.

SC 5 using Main St through downtown 1962 York County

SC 5 one-way pair on Main and Black 1963 York County

SC 5 on Black St only 2005 York County

In 2008, SC 5 was rerouted at Kings Creek leaving behind S-11-687 and an extended SC 97.
Between May 2008 and Oct 2009 (GMSV), SC 5 was rerouted at Blacksburg to replace SC 198 over to I-85. The old route remained US 29 plus S-11-148 Shelby St and S-11-83 Carolina St.

SC 5 through Blacksburg to I-85 and SC 18 1995 Cherokee County

SC 5 replaces SC 198 out to I-85 Note SC 198 was shifted eastward in 2003 2010 Town of Blacksburg

About 2009, SC 5 was removed from Alie Ln at Clark Fork west of York.
In 2013, SC 5 was rerouted around Rock Hill by following what had been posted as SC 5 TRUCK, following SC 901 and SC 72-121. The old route into downtown became SC 5 CONN, S-46-2, then just plain ol' Main St and Black St.

SC 5 through downtown Rock Hill 2013 Official

SC 5 around the south of downtown 2013 Official

Improvements: In 1925 or 1926 SC 5 was paved from York to Rock Hill.
In 1927, SC 5 was paved from York to Sharon.
In 1929, SC 5 was paved from Sharon to the Cherokee County Line and also from Rock Hill to the Chester County Line.
In 1934, SC 5 was paved from Blacksburg to York County and also from York County down to Ft. Lawn.
In 1938, SC 5 was paved from SC 97 to Great Falls.
In 1939, SC 5 was paved from SC 18 to Blacksburg and also from Ft. Lawn to SC 97. The large southern extension was already paved upon SC 5's designation except for Olar to SC 33 (current US 301).
In 1940 SC 5 was paved from Olar to SC 33.
The last piece of SC 5 to be paved was from Ridgeway to Great Falls, in 1947.
The first piece of SC 5 to be multilane occurred in 1963 when it was placed on one-way splits through Rock Hill.
SC 5 was 4-laned with US 21 between 1966-67 from Rock Hill to its split from US 21.
In 1990, SC 5 was multilaned from SC 322 west to just west of S-46-56.
In 2007, SC 5 was multilaned from SC 55 to US 29.
The 2008-09 relocation over SC 198 from US 29 to I-85 was multilaned at that time.
In 2012, SC 5 was multilaned on its york Bypass from S-46-64 to SC 49
In 2013, SC 5 was multilaned on its York Bypass from SC 5 Business west of York to S-46-64; SC 49 to SC 5-161 Bus.
Although the 2013 Official is the first to show it, it appears via GMSV that SC 5 was multilaned from SC 55 to the west end of the York bypass by 2009.
Comment: SC 5 serves as the suggested route from I-85 in South Carolina to Rock Hill.