NC 21

North Carolina Highway 21

Route information

Existed:

early 1920s – 1934

Highway system

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North Carolina Highway 21 (NC 21) was a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. At its height, it traversed from the South Carolina state line to Raleigh, connecting the cities of Fayetteville, and Lillington.

Established as an original state highway, it traversed from the South Carolina state line (continuing as SC 47 to Lake View) north through Lumberton, Fayetteville, and Lillington before ending at NC 10, in Raleigh.

In 1925, NC 21 was rerouted south of Fayetteville, replacing NC 22 through Dublin, Elizabethtown, and Clarkton, before ending at NC 20 (now US 74 Bus/US 76 Bus, in Whiteville. Its old alignment was replaced by NC 22 (now US 301) to Lumberton and then NC 70 (now NC 41). In 1928, its southern terminus was rerouted again from Elizabethtown to Delco, replacing NC 231; its old route to Whiteville became part of NC 23 (now US 701). In 1929, its northern terminus was extended on new primary routing to Creedmoor, ending at US 15/NC 75. From 1929-1932, NC 21 was rerouted several times through downtown Raleigh. In 1932, US 401 was assigned as a concurrency with NC 21 between Fayetteville and Raleigh.