County Seats That Never Had A US Highway

[hbelkins]

The bulk of Kentucky's counties that don't have, or never had, a US highway are in the eastern part of the state.



Stolen from my mob-rule Kentucky page, where the red lines represent US highways. you can see which counties don't have them. The one exception where there is presently no US highway, where there once was, is Cumberland County, where US 37 ran along what is now KY 90.

Another possible exception is Martin County. I have recently come across official Kentucky highway documentation indicating that US 460 once ran through the county along the route of what is now KY 40.

A number of counties with US routes do not have them in the county seats.

[NE2]

The one exception where there is presently no US highway, where there once was, is Cumberland County, where US 37 ran along what is now KY 90.

AASHO tried to ram it down Kentucky's throat, but it was likely never signed.

Another possible exception is Martin County. I have recently come across official Kentucky highway documentation indicating that US 460 once ran through the county along the route of what is now KY 40.

How would this have worked? Did it use US 52 through West Virginia?

[hbelkins]

I presume it would have used US 52 -- or perhaps it would have been signed in two separate segments like US 422 is.

[agentsteel53]

The one exception where there is presently no US highway, where there once was, is Cumberland County, where US 37 ran along what is now KY 90.

AASHO tried to ram it down Kentucky's throat, but it was likely never signed.

I've never seen a US-37 shield, or even a map that shows it.  where did everyone get their information that it existed?

same with US-86, which apparently was along what later became US-82?

at least US-42 (soon to be US-48) does show up on a California map.

[NE2]

I've never seen a US-37 shield, or even a map that shows it.  where did everyone get their information that it existed?

http://www.us-highways.com/us1.htm#US_37 says "Proposed by ASSHO[sic] 1935-1944; on many maps". I don't have any maps from that timeframe to check.

[froggie]

same with US-86, which apparently was along what later became US-82?

Became US 84.

Regarding US 460 in Kentucy, I have my doubts that it actually ran through Martin County.  US 460 wasn't extended west of Roanoke until the mid-40s...RVDroz pegs the date as 1946, while Mapmikey and I list it as 1947.  Either way, Virginia has always had the extension west of Roanoke along today's US 460 corridor into Kentucky, also verified by West Virginia maps of the era.

My hunch is that what HBE found was a Kentucky proposal for US 460 to be routed through Martin County, but AASHTO voted for the more southern route through western Virginia (Tazewell/Grundy/etc etc).

[hbelkins]

I've never seen a US-37 shield, or even a map that shows it.  where did everyone get their information that it existed?

I first saw it on an old map of 1935 vintage. Here's a scan...

Regarding US 460 in Kentucy, I have my doubts that it actually ran through Martin County.  US 460 wasn't extended west of Roanoke until the mid-40s...RVDroz pegs the date as 1946, while Mapmikey and I list it as 1947.  Either way, Virginia has always had the extension west of Roanoke along today's US 460 corridor into Kentucky, also verified by West Virginia maps of the era.

My hunch is that what HBE found was a Kentucky proposal for US 460 to be routed through Martin County, but AASHTO voted for the more southern route through western Virginia (Tazewell/Grundy/etc etc).

What I have is a booklet called "Historic Kentucky Highways" dated May 1947, published by the Department of Highways. (Simeon Willis, governor; J. Stephen Watkins, commissioner of highways; Thomas H. Cutler, state highway engineer). US 460 is referred to as "The Great Warrior Trace" and the description reads, "From the West Virginia line..."

Milepoints are listed, with MP 0.0 shown as the West Virginia line near Kermit,and MP 33.5 listed as Paintsville.

The booklet indicates an official state highway map is inside the back cover, but there was none in the sample I have (a souvenir that my wife found and brought home for me during her recent jaunt along the US 127 yard sale).

[agentsteel53]

I first saw it on an old map of 1935 vintage. Here's a scan...

[map]

thanks for the scan!  Some of that is now US-127 (the Tenn half, mainly) while the Kentucky part is all kinds of four-digit state roads and even more obscure stuff like "Old Brownsville Road".

how do we know it wasn't signed in the field?  

[NE2]

thanks for the scan!  Some of that is now US-127 (the Tenn half, mainly) while the Kentucky part is all kinds of four-digit state roads and even more obscure stuff like "Old Brownsville Road".

It's all just old alignments of KY 90 (which can be seen overlapping US 37 on the map).

how do we know it wasn't signed in the field? 

It's presumed, since it was one of a group of routes that AASHO pushed to get rid of directional suffixes. (US 31E would have become US 143 south of Glasgow and US 37 from Glasgow to Bardstown.)

[florida]

La Belle, Florida is served by SR 29 and SR 80, and is the county seat of Hendry County.

Come to think of it, I can't think of any Florida counties that don't have a US Route run through at least a little part of it. Maybe Union or Dixie County, but I don't have a map handy.

Thanks, I forgot about La Belle. The other three are Bristol (Liberty County), Blountstown (Calhoun County), and Lake Butler (Union County). And neither of them have any US Routes within their boundaries.

[route29]

Alabama:
Clayton - Barbour Co
Butler - Choctaw Co
Ashland - Clay Co
Geneva - Geneva Co
Greensboro - Hale Co
Vernon - Lamar Co
Moulton - Lawrence Co
Hayneville - Lowndes Co
Carrollton - Pickens Co
Columbiana - Shelby Co
Talladega - Talladega Co
Chatom - Washington Co
Camden - Wilcox Co

[Takumi]

Chesterfield, VA is served by VA 10, and VA 145 connects it with US 1/301. US 360 passes through the zip code but it's nowhere near the actual county seat.

If Manchester was still its own city (it became the south half of Richmond in 1910 but was Chesterfield's county seat before that) this would be a different story.

[bugo]

There are several in Arkansas, but I'm too lazy to look them up.  There used to be more, but since AHTD has been on their US highway commissioning spree, some of these towns are now on US routes.  For example: Nashville was once on AR 4, AR 24, and AR 27, now it's on US 278, US 371, and AR 27.

[Bigmikelakers]

Parker, Arizona, county seat of La Paz County does not have a US Highway.

I think the reason why Parker doesn't have a US Highway is because its a fairly new county seat. La Paz County seperated from Yuma County in 1983.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Every county seat in Hawaii.

[NE2]

Every county seat in Hawaii.

We've already discussed this ad nauseam and there's no point in going through the motions again.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Yawn.

FTFY

[sandiaman]

 Off  the  top  of  my  head,New mexico counties  which  have  never  had  a  US route  through  the  county  seat,  only  three:
                      Harding County (Mosquero)
                      Mora County  (Mora)
                      Catron County (Reserve)

[Alps]

Yawn.

FTFY

OMG no. We've finally gotten multi-word sentences out of him.

[NE2]

Off  the  top  of  my  head,New mexico counties  which  have  never  had  a  US route  through  the  county  seat,  only  three:
                      Harding County (Mosquero)
                      Mora County  (Mora)
                      Catron County (Reserve)

I had missed Reserve, erroneously placing it on US 180. Stupid 1:250K topo labeling the airport as simply 'Reserve'.

Los Alamos makes four for New Mexico.

[NE2]

Turns out in my mapping I missed one county seat in the entire country: Nevada, Iowa.
There are four county seats named Albion, none of which has been served.

Full list according to my data (using rather strict criteria, including recent annexations not counting):

Delaware 0.0% (0/3)

District of Columbia 0.0% (0/1)

Wyoming 0.0% (0/23)

Oklahoma 2.6% (2/77): Hobart, Stigler

Pennsylvania 3.0% (2/67): Beaver, New Bloomfield

Nevada 5.9% (1/17): Virginia City

South Carolina 6.5% (3/46): Abbeville, Chesterfield, Walhalla

Arizona 6.7% (1/15): Parker

North Carolina 7.0% (7/100): Bakersville, Bayboro, Currituck, Danbury, Newland, Trenton, Troy

Florida 7.5% (5/67): Blountstown, Bristol, Fernandina Beach, LaBelle, Lake Butler

Georgia 10.1% (16/159): Buena Vista, Canton, Carnesville, Elberton, Fayetteville, Fort Gaines, Gibson, Jasper, Metter, Monticello, Morgan, Newton, Oglethorpe, Sandersville, Sparta, Springfield

Kansas 10.5% (11/105): Alma, Anthony, Dighton, Girard, Gove, Howard, Leoti, Lincoln, Mound City, Tribune, Westmoreland

Connecticut 11.1% (1/9): Rockville

New Mexico 12.1% (4/33): Los Alamos, Mora, Mosquero, Reserve

Maine 12.5% (2/16): Dover-Foxcroft, Paris

Maryland 12.5% (3/24): Denton, Leonardtown, Prince Frederick

Ohio 12.5% (11/88): Batavia, Carrollton, Jefferson, McConnelsville, New Lexington, Newark, Port Clinton, Ravenna, Wauseon, West Union, Woodsfield

Texas 12.6% (32/254): Anahuac, Anderson, Angleton, Archer City, Bandera, Bay City, Bellville, Boston, Caldwell, Canton, Coldspring, Cooper, Fort Davis, Garden City, Groesbeck, Hemphill, Jourdanton, Kermit, Lipscomb, Llano, Marlin, Mentone, Meridian, Montague, Morton, Quitman, Robert Lee, Rockport, Silverton, Spearman, Stinnett, Tilden

Idaho 13.6% (6/44): Cascade, Driggs, Emmett, Idaho City, Murphy, Nezperce

Minnesota 13.8% (12/87): Baudette, Buffalo, Caledonia, Foley, Gaylord, Glenwood, Le Center, Mantorville, Red Lake Falls, Roseau, St. James, Stillwater

Montana 14.3% (8/56): Circle, Ekalaka, Jordan, Plentywood, Scobey, Sidney, Virginia City, Winnett

Oregon 16.7% (6/36): Condon, Dallas, Enterprise, Fossil, Heppner, Hillsboro

Utah 17.2% (5/29): Castle Dale, Loa, Manila, Randolph, Tooele

Alabama 17.4% (12/69): Ashland, Butler, Camden, Carrollton, Clayton, Columbiana, Geneva, Greensboro, Hayneville, Marion, Moulton, Vernon

Arkansas 17.6% (15/85): Arkansas City, Booneville, Charleston, Danville, Dardanelle, Des Arc, Harrisburg, Heber Springs, Jasper, Lake City, Melbourne, Mountain View, Murfreesboro, Paris, Perryville

Washington 17.9% (7/39): Asotin, Coupeville, Ephrata, Friday Harbor, Port Orchard, Port Townsend, Republic

Virginia 19.2% (19/99): Charles City, Charlotte Court House, Chesterfield, Clintwood, King and Queen Court House, King George, King William, Lancaster, Lunenburg, Manassas, Mathews, Montross, New Castle, New Kent, Prince George, Princess Anne, Spotsylvania, Surry, Sussex

Tennessee 20.0% (19/95): Altamont, Byrdstown, Carthage, Celina, Centerville, Charlotte, Decatur, Decaturville, Dresden, Erin, Gainesboro, Hartsville, Huntsville, Lafayette, Livingston, Lynchburg, Sneedville, Spencer, Tiptonville

South Dakota 18.8% (12/64): Bison, Britton, Flandreau, Gann Valley, Howard, Leola, Parker, Timber Lake, Tyndall, Vermillion, Wessington Springs, Woonsocket

Colorado 21.9% (14/64): Aspen, Breckenridge, Central City, Conejos, Creede, Cripple Creek, Kiowa, Lake City, Meeker, Ordway, San Luis, Telluride, Walden, Westcliffe

Iowa 22.0% (22/100): Allison, Bedford, Centerville, Clarion, Corydon, Cresco, Dakota City, Eldora, Elkader, Estherville, Greenfield, Grundy Center, Guthrie Center, Keosauqua, Knoxville, Orange City, Pocahontas, Sibley, Sigourney, Tipton, Washington, Waukon

Kentucky 22.1% (27/122): Beattyville, Booneville, Brooksville, Brownsville, Burkesville, Burlington, Calhoun, Campton, Carlisle, Columbia, Flemingsburg, Hazard, Hickman, Hindman, Independence, Inez, Irvine, Jackson, La Grange, Monticello, Sandy Hook, Shepherdsville, Stanton, Taylorsville, Tompkinsville, Vanceburg, Whitesburg

West Virginia 23.6% (13/55): Clay, Elizabeth, Grantsville, Hamlin, Harrisville, Hinton, Kingwood, Middlebourne, New Cumberland, New Martinsville, Pineville, Webster Springs, Wellsburg

Indiana 23.9% (22/92): Albion, Anderson, Bloomington, Bluffton, Connersville, English, Hartford City, Marion, Martinsville, Mount Vernon, Nashville, New Castle, Newport, Noblesville, Petersburg, Rising Sun, Salem, Tell City, Tipton, Vernon, Vevay, Williamsport

California 25.9% (15/58): Colusa, Downieville, Hanford, Hollister, Jackson, Lakeport, Mariposa, Markleeville, Napa, Nevada City, San Andreas, Santa Cruz, Sonora, Susanville, Visalia

Missouri 25.9% (30/116): Ava, Bloomfield, Cassville, Centerville, Clinton, Edina, Eminence, Fayette, Galena, Gallatin, Hartville, Hermann, Hillsboro, Ironton, Kingston, Linneus, Marble Hill, Maysville, Milan, Montgomery City, Monticello, Osceola, Plattsburg, Potosi, Richmond, Salem, Shelbyville, Steelville, Tuscumbia, Versailles

Mississippi 26.1% (24/92): Ackerman, Ashland, Bay Springs, Carthage, Charleston, Coffeeville, Decatur, DeKalb, Houston, Kosciusko, Leakesville, Lexington, Liberty, Louisville, Mayersville, Paulding, Philadelphia, Pittsboro, Raleigh, Raymond, Ripley, Rosedale, Walthall, Water Valley

Vermont 26.7% (4/15): Chelsea, Guildhall, Hyde Park, Newfane

Wisconsin 27.8% (20/72): Alma, Balsam Lake, Darlington, Friendship, Green Lake, Juneau, Kenosha, Keshena, Kewaunee, Medford, Monroe, Montello, Phillips, Racine, Shawano, Siren, Sturgeon Bay, Washburn, Wautoma, Wisconsin Rapids

New Jersey 28.6% (6/21): Belvidere, Bridgeton, Hackensack, Mount Holly, Salem, Woodbury

Michigan 28.9% (24/83): Allegan, Atlanta, Bad Axe, Bellaire, Caro, Cassopolis, Centreville, Corunna, Eagle River, Gladwin, Hastings, Hillsdale, Ionia, Lake City, Lapeer, Leland, Mio, Munising, Newberry, Roscommon, Sandusky, Stanton, West Branch, White Cloud

Nebraska 29.0% (27/93): Albion, Arthur, Beaver City, Brewster, Broken Bow, Burwell, Center, Clay Center, David City, Fullerton, Gering, Grant, Harrisburg, Hartington, Hayes Center, Hyannis, Loup City, Nelson, Ord, Papillion, Pawnee City, Pender, Ponca, Stanton, Stockville, Wayne, Wilber

Massachusetts 29.4% (5/17): Brockton, Edgartown, Lawrence, Nantucket, Salem

Louisiana 31.3% (20/64): Benton, Cameron, Chalmette, Clinton, Donaldsonville, Edgard, Farmerville, Franklinton, Greensburg, Hahnville, Harrisonburg, Marksville, Napoleonville, Natchitoches, New Roads, Oak Grove, Plaquemine, Pointe a la Hache, St. Martinville, Thibodaux

Illinois 33.3% (34/102): Albion, Aledo, Benton, Cambridge, Charleston, Chester, Elizabethtown, Golconda, Hardin, Hennepin, Hillsboro, Jonesboro, Lacon, Marion, Monticello, Mound City, Mount Carmel, Murphysboro, Newton, Oquawka, Oregon, Pekin, Petersburg, Pinckneyville, Robinson, Shawneetown, Shelbyville, Sullivan, Sycamore, Taylorville, Toledo, Toulon, Waterloo, Yorkville

North Dakota 37.7% (20/53): Ashley, Bottineau, Bowbells, Carson, Cavalier, Center, Cooperstown, Crosby, Finley, Forman, Fort Yates, LaMoure, Langdon, Lisbon, Manning, McClusky, Mohall, Mott, Napoleon, Stanton

Rhode Island 40.0% (2/5): Bristol, Newport

New Hampshire 45.5% (5/11): Brentwood, Keene, Newport, North Haverhill, Ossipee

New York 50.8% (30/59): Albion, Ballston Spa, Batavia, Belmont, Cooperstown, Delhi, Elmira, Fonda, Herkimer, Ithaca, Johnstown, Lake Pleasant, Little Valley, Lockport, Lowville, Lyons, Mayville, Mineola, Monticello, New City, Norwich, Ovid, Owego, Penn Yan, Riverhead, Schenectady, Schoharie, Utica, Wampsville, Watkins Glen

total 18.9% (586/3098)

[vtk]

NE2, you seem to have have an impessive amount of time on your hands.  I am envious.

[hbelkins]

Two errors in SPUI's Kentucky list.

Whitesburg currently has US 119; Burkesville had US 37.

[roadman65]

Hey where are the County Seats in Connecticut?  I noticed that there are no lists on any maps or any record, and rumor has it that they once did exist, but  the state did rid themselves of them.  How can a county operate without a court house or government building?

[NE2]

Whitesburg currently has US 119;

Only through recent annexations.

Burkesville had US 37.

US 37 was on the AASHO books but never accepted by the states.

PS: I updated my list above after doing some more checking. Turns out it's 80.9%.