Site Navigation Arkansas Louisiana Oklahoma New Mexico Texas     U.S. Highway 287 - Wichita County U.S. Highway 287 north Fisher Road is a very short rural road that runs northward to the old US 287. Photo taken 05/24/08. SH 79 is the first major interchange in Wichita Falls. The road runs northward through Petrolia and to Oklahoma, where it becomes OK 79. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 is curiously absent from this reassurance marker near SH 79. Photo taken 05/24/08. SH 79 joins the US highways here for a brief multiplex. Northward, the road is a short freeway. Photo taken 05/24/08. Windthorst Road is an important arterial on the east side of Wichita Falls and connects residential areas with the freeway here. Photo taken 05/24/08. Wichita Falls is not immune from the spate of adding variable message signs throughout Texas. Unfortunately, the signs almost never display anything even remotely useful. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 westbound at Windthorst. US 287 here is called the Henry S Grace Freeway, a designation that continues south along the US 281 freeway. Henry Grace was an oilman and philanthropist. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 281 continues southward and eventually ends up in San Antonio. It forms a freeway along the east side of town. US 287 becomes the Central Freeway here. Photo taken 05/24/08. The Grace Freeway designation is shown here on a sign for US 281 southbound. Photo taken 05/24/08. The next exit, for the Jacksboro Highway, runs directly into downtown Wichita Falls, which is north to the north side of US 287. Photo taken 05/24/08. Loop 473 continues into downtown and US 287 Business. Photo taken 05/24/08. Spur 447, Kell Blvd, also runs into downtown. This also marks the spot where US 82 splits and leaves westbound as the Kell Freeway. Currently, a stack is under construction to connect the Kell and Central Freeways. When this photo was taken the stack was not yet complete and signage was not up. Photo taken 05/24/08. Two views of the new stack at the eastern end of the Kell Freeway. Photos taken 05/24/08. Broad Street is the old route of US 287 and runs underneath the approaching freeway overpass. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 northbound at Broad Street in Wichita Falls. For many years, this marked the end of the freeway as traffic was routed on to surface streets through town. Photo taken 05/24/08. The Lloyd Ruby Overpass is actually two structures, which were built over street rights-of-way in Wichita Falls and sit a block apart. Ruby, who is still living, was a famous race car driver from Wichita Falls. Construction of the overpasses began in 1999 and was completed in 2002. Photo taken 05/24/08. While there are no exits on the overpasses, the first exit beyond them is marked here. Photo taken 05/24/08. The 10-block overpasses end with a new elevated structure to 6th Street here near downtown Wichita Falls. The Multi Purpose Events Center (MPEC) is nearby and serves the community as a large events arena. Photo taken 05/24/08. Interstate 44 & Friends The western end of the overpass marks the official beginning of Interstate 44. This view looks north past the structure at the existing interstate, which opened in the early 80s. Currently it is under construction to become an 8 to 10 lane facility up to the US 287 split. Photo taken 05/24/08. It seems that every route designation in Wichita Falls meets here as the existing Central Freeway turns northward. Photo taken 05/24/08. The first standalone northbound IH 44 sits just west of downtown. IH 44 continues northward into Oklahoma and Missouri to end in St. Louis. Photo taken 05/24/08. Exit 1B is marked here and connects to Scotland Park and western Wichita Falls. Photo taken 05/24/08. Scotland Park is just that, a park, and not a community or a street. The park, which connects to Lucy Park, forms a large urban park in the middle of town. Lucy Park is also the site of the "Falls" in the city's name. Photo taken 05/24/08. Three US highways and IH 44 are signed here along the Central Freeway, the road is always very busy including here on a Saturday afternoon. Photo taken 05/24/08. The third exit in the first mile of IH 44 is for the state's travel information center. The busy tourist center sits along the river just to the west of the freeway. Photo taken 05/24/08. When this photo was taken, work was about halfway done to widen and resurface the freeway. Photos taken 05/24/08. Maurine Street is a short east/west road on the west side of Wichita Falls. Photo taken 05/24/08. Spur 325 is a short freeway which runs east and north to Sheppard AFB, one of Wichita Falls' largest employers. Photo taken 05/24/08. IH 44 prepares to split with US 287 on the west side of town. All of the route designations are well signed here, even during construction. Photo taken 05/24/08. IH 44 only has about 15 miles in Texas, all of it concurrent with US 277 and US 281. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 splits here and continues westward to stay along the south side of the Red River. During construction, the signage was temporary. Photo taken 05/24/08. U.S. Highway 287 - Wichita County Beverly Dr, Loop 11, was originally planned to go all the way around Wichita Falls but now only continues along the city's west side. Photo taken 05/24/08. Beverly Dr runs south to US 277. Photo taken 05/24/08. The next exit along US 287 is for City View Dr. Photo taken 05/24/08. City View Dr marks the western extent of Wichita Falls' urbanized area, it also marks the site of the area's Harley Davidson store. Photo taken 05/24/08. Wellington Lane is a more important street than City View, and is the next exit along US 287. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 westbound at Wellington, it runs south to old US 287 and eventually to US 277. Photo taken 05/24/08. Huntington Lane is the next exit along US 287. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 westbound at Huntington, which is a short county road that runs north/south through ranches and oil fields. Photo taken 05/24/08. FM 369 is a north/south FM road that runs north all the way to Burkburnett and IH 44. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 westbound at FM 369. The road goes south to old US 287 and the community of Pleasant Valley. Photo taken 05/24/08. Nearing the next town of Iowa Park, US 287 nears Rifle Range Road. The freeway though here was built in the early 1960s and has exits at almost every crossroad for about 8 miles. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 westbound at Rifle Range Rd. Photo taken 05/24/08. Peterson Road is the next exit and is the next cross road. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 westbound at Peterson. Photo taken 05/24/08. Bell Road is also FM 1814 and is the first exit in the town of Iowa Park. Photo taken 05/24/08. Iowa Park is a suburb of Wichita Falls and has about 6,500 people. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 at Bell Road, which is FM 1814. The FM road designation is not mentioned at the exit. Photo taken 05/24/08. FM 368 runs south into Iowa Park. The town was founded in 1888 when the Fort Worth and Denver Railroad hired a train to come from Iowa full of immigrants to seed the community. Photo taken 05/24/08. A US 287 reassurance marker through Iowa Park. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 westbound at Johnson Road, which marks the last exit in Iowa Park. Photo taken 05/24/08. As the freeway leaves Iowa Park, the land opens up with wide views and oil derricks on each side of the road. Photo taken 05/24/08. Vernon, the next place of any consequence, sits about 40 miles distant. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 meets Harmony Road west of Iowa Park, it is yet another exit for a very minor crossroad. Photo taken 05/24/08. The freeway continues with a newer concrete portion and the next exit is at Burnett Ranch Road. Photo taken 05/24/08. The Burnett Ranch was organized in 1881 by British beef investors, oil was discovered there in 1921. Photo taken 05/24/08. Electra sits on the western side of Wichita County and has a Business loop following the old routing of US 287. Photo taken 05/24/08. This view looks westbound at US 287's bypass of Electra. In 1911, when residents were drilling to find water, oil was instead discovered and a boom was on. Photo taken 05/24/08. The Electra bypass is paved with concrete and wildflowers line the side of the road. Photo taken 05/24/08. FM 2384 runs south into Electra from here. The town was named for the daughter of a local rancher and businessman. Photo taken 05/24/08. FM 1739 runs 10 miles north to the community of Sunshine Hill. Photo taken 05/24/08. SH 25 runs about 60 miles from the south, through Electra, and abruptly dead ends into a dirt road north of the town. It was originally meant to continue into Oklahoma over a bridge but it was never built. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 westbound at SH 25 in Electra. Photo taken 05/24/08. US 287 prepares to leave Wichita County here at County Line Road, which forms the western boundary of the county and of Electra. Photo taken 05/24/08. After County Line Road, the freeway enters Wilbarger County. The land was originally used for bison hunting, and the county was organized in 1881. Photo taken 05/24/08. Page Updated January 15, 2009.