SC 34 original routing from Ridgeway to Darlington 1923 Auto Trails

SC 34 rerouted west of US 1 (notice mileage difference) 1930 Official

In 1939, SC 34 was extended east as new primary routing to SC 38 Brownsville (except no crossing of Pee Dee River), then replaced SC 73 east to end in Dillon. It is unclear if SC 34 ended at SC 9's original route at S-17-96 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.

SC 73 Brownsville to Dillon 1937 Texaco

SC 34 extended east to Dillon 1939 Official

Between 1944-47, SC 34 received a bridge over the Pee Dee River.
In 1947, SC 34 west was truncated to US 1 Camden. Ridgeway to Lugoof became S-20-3 and S-28-5.
In 1952, SC 34 west was re-extended with US 1 to Lugoff, then replaced SC 213 through Ridgeway to Rockton, then followed US 321 around Winnsboro, then replaced SC 22 west through Newberry and Ninety Six before ending at US 25-178-221 (now US 25-178 Bus/SC 10) Greenwood.

SC 34 eliminated west of Lugoff 1950 Official

SC 34 extended west to Greenwood 1952 Official

In 1976, SC 34 was placed on newly constructed routing to bypass Newberry to the south, leaving behind SC 34 Business (now S-36-90 Boundary St, S-36-642 College St, S-36-60 Main St, and S-36-146

SC 34 through Newberry 1958 Newberry County

SC 34 bypasses Newberry to the south 1976 Newberry County

In the mid-1990s, SC 34 west was truncated to its current endpoint at US 25-178 Bus south of downtown. Most of the original SC 34 routing to downtown survives, though some of it is just a frontage road to US 25-178 Bus now that the railroad that was in between these routes was removed. North of Court St SC 34's route is actually now part of US 25-178 Bus NB.

SC 34 into downtown Greenwood 1965 Greenwood County

SC 34 meeting US 25-178 Bus south of downtown. Although the map shows SC 34 continuing along US 25-178 bus, there are zero postings in the field to corroborate that. 2005 Greenwood County

Improvements: The first piece of SC 34 to be paved was its US 1 duplex through Camden, about 1929.
SC 34 was paved on its SC 30 (current US 15) multiplex about 1931.
In 1933, the SC 35 (current SC 151) duplex was paved.
In 1934, SC 34 was paved from Camden to Bishopville.
In 1937, SC 34 was paved from Ridgeway to the Kershaw-Lee Line and also from US 15 to SC 151.
In 1939 SC 34 became fully paved from Ridgeway to 3 miles east of Darlington; also, about 7 miles from Dillon westward were paved.
In 1940, SC 34 was paved from Dillon to Brownsville.
In 1941, SC 34 was paved everywhere except through the Pee Dee River swamp.
SC 34 was fully paved by 1946.
SC 34 was 4-laned on the US 1 duplex in 1968 or 1969.
SC 34 was 4-laned on the Winnsboro Bypass in 1971.
SC 34 was 4-laned on the SC 151 duplex in 1973.
SC 34 was 4-laned on the US 76 portion of Newberry Bypass by 1985.
SC 34 was 4-laned between Simpson and I-77 in 1997.
Comment: SC 34 is one of the longer state highways in South Carolina.
There is a signed SC 34 TRUCK for Darlington that follows US 52 south around Darlington, S-16-179 McIver Rd, and S-16-35 Charleston Rd
There is a signed SC 34 TRUCK for Ridgeway that follows US 21 and Thomas St.
SC 34 serves Lee State Park.
SC 34 east of Darlington is a very swampy, rural ride, as is the section between Newberry and Winnsboro.