US 271 history in Arkansas and Oklahoma (ATTN: AHTD)

[bugo]

The original route of US 271 is a mystery. It originally ran from Ft Smith, AR to Mena, AR via Poteau, OK. The routing north of Page was more or less along the modern routing of US 59 and 271. The mysterious part of the route is from Mena to Page. Let's see what the respective DOTs say.



The 1925 Oklahoma map shows it as plain old OK 23. Let's move to 1927:



This map shows OK 23 duplexed with US 71. Obviously a mapo, or was it? On to 1928:



The first appearance of US 271 on an Oklahoma map. To add confusion, the routes of AR 8 and AR 88 have been changed since these maps were printed. The route that is now AR 8 in Mena was AR 88 in 1928 and the route that is now US 59/270 was AR 8. US 271 would have had to follow what is now US 259 from Page to Big Cedar and what is now OK 63 from Big Cedar to the Arkansas line. Now on to 1929:





The Oklahoma map now shows US 271 following the modern US 59/270 route into Arkansas. The Arkansas map, however, still shows it following the modern OK 63/AR 8 route. (AR 8 on this map is now US 59/270.) Also note that it clearly shows US 271 following current CR 93 to end at US 71 near Potter instead of following the modern AR 8 route to end at Mena. Now on to 1930:





The Oklahoma map shows the highway from Poteau to Mena as US 371. Is this another mapo? It also shows the modern route of US 271 south of Poteau. The Arkansas map isn't very clear. One thing it is clear about is that AR 88 followed current CR 93. It does show OK 23 connecting with AR 8. On to 1931:



US 270 makes its first appearance. Note that the Wister-Heavener highway wasn't originally part of US 270.

Which routing of US 271 was correct? Did US 71 or 371 really ever exist in Oklahoma? There are at least 3 possible termini of US 271 in Polk County: CR 188 at CR 76, CR 93 at old US 71, or Reine and Reeves in Mena. Per signage standards of the time, it could have been cosigned to end in downtown Mena. Who knows.

[NE2]

There was no direct road from Big Cedar to Stapp: http://research.archives.gov/description/5836358
Hence the 1929 Arkansas is almost certainly wrong, and the 1928 Oklahoma mislabels 8 as 88.

[bugo]

It shows 88 ending several miles west of Mena on what is now AR 375.  The road from Acorn to Page doesn't end west of Mena.

[NE2]

Current main roads overlaid on the 1929 Arkansas:

[bugo]

Where are AR 88 and AR 8 west of Mena?

[NE2]

Where are AR 88 and AR 8 west of Mena?

Not in the NHPN data I overlaid. 88 is right on current 8, but the alignment drawn in Oklahoma crosses Rich Mountain.