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N.C. 27 
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Photo: NC 27's eastern beginning (Adam Prince)
NC 27
N.C. 27  197 miles
The Road: Begins at NC 10 near Toluca (Cleveland County) and ends at US 301, NC 50, NC 242 in Benson (Johnston County).
Towns and Attractions: Cleveland Co.: None  
Lincoln Co.: Lincolnton, Boger City  
Gaston Co.: Stanley, Mt. Holly  
Mecklenburg Co.: Charlotte  
Stanly Co.: Albemarle  
Montgomery Co.: Uwharrie National Forest; Troy; Biscoe  
Moore Co.: Carthage; Cameron  
Harnett Co.: Lillington, Buies Creek, Campbell University, Coates  
Johnston Co.: Benson  
History: NC 27 is an original state highway that initially ran from NC 20 (W Trade at Mint Sts) Charlotte northwest via Rozelles Ferry Rd to Thrift and Mt. Holly to NC 16 (now just S. Aspen St) Lincolnton.
In 1923, NC 27 was extended east to end at NC 74 (now NC 73) just outside Albermarle at the jct of Charlotte Hwy (unnumbered today) and Concord Rd. NC 27's route in 1923 used today's 27 from Lincolnton to Stanly, then Hickory Grove and Old Mount Holly Rds, then cut east at Paw Creek on Mt. Holly Rd to Homestead. From there, NC 27 EB approached Charlotte on Rozelles Ferry Rd, then used Trade St (which picked up NC 20 for a 3-block multiplex) to Tryon, where it headed out of town as a multiplex with NC 15. NC 27 used what appears to be Sugar Creek Rd (30th/The Plaza or Tryon directly?)-Eastway-Shamrock-Hickory Grove-Pence Rds to meet back up with today's 27 at Wilgrove to get back towards today's NC 27 route east of Charlotte.
In 1924, NC 27 used Trade St to Elizabeth Ave to Hawthorne Ave, Central Ave, and Albermarle Rd. to exit Charlotte's east side (requiring almost no NC 20 multiplex).
In 1928, NC 27 was extended west as new primary routing to NC 18 Toluca.
1922 Auto Trails
NC 27 original routing
1922 Auto Trails
1923 Auto Trails
NC 27 extended to Albemarle
1923 Auto Trails
1929 Official
NC 24 extended to Toluca
1929 Official


In late 1934, NC 27 was extended eastward to Carthage (replacing all of NC 74 east of Albermarle), by crossing Lake Norwood and dropping south to Pee Dee (along current NC 73), then east to Wadeville (old NC 27), and north to Troy (along current NC 109), then east to Biscoe along today's 27 to end at the NC 22 SB split in Carthage, which in 1934 was US 501 (US 15 came through in 1936). At this time NC 27 was routed over the historic Swift Island Bridge
1933 Official
NC 74 Albemarle to Carthage
1933 Official
1935 Gen Drafting
NC 27 extended to Carthage
1935 Gen Draft

Early Charlotte Changes:
In 1936, NC 27 changed routing through Charlotte. Instead of Rozelles Ferry Rd, NC 27 entered on Tuckaseegee Rd/Thrift Rd to Morehead St (also US 29-74 then), then east to McDowell St, then north to 7th St and then out Central Ave on its way to Albemarle. This routing west of town had been NC 27A (and 271 before that). The previous approach along Rozelles Ferry Rd became part of NC 271 (later NC 16). NC 27 still went through Paw Creek and all the same points west of Charlotte.

1933 Official
NC 27-A on Thrift Rd
1933 Official
1936 Official
NC 27-A becomes 27
1936 Official

Early Charlotte Routings:

1922 Auto Trails
NC 27 duplex with NC 15
1922 Auto Trails

1932 Texaco
NC 27 using Central Ave
1932 Texaco
1937 Texaco
NC 27 moves from Rozelles Ferry to Thrift Rd
1937 Texaco


In 1938, NC 27 was extended west as new routing to Casar and replaced some of NC 182 over to NC 26 (now NC 226) Polkville.
In 1940 or 1941, NC 27 west was truncated to NC 10-18 Toluca. The extension to Polkville became part of NC 10.
Between 1948-50, NC 27 east was extended through Cameron and ending at NC 87 (along a previously unnumbered road) in Spout Springs.
About 1953, NC 27 west was extended the short distance to the modern location of NC 10.

1936 Official
NC 182 to Polkville
1936 Official
1938 Official
NC 27 to Polkville
1938 Official
1941-42 Official
NC 10 to Polkville
1941-42 Official
1941-42 Official
NC 27 ends at NC 10-18
1941-42 Official

1953 Official
NC 27 extended to modern NC 10
1953 Official

In 1957 or 1958, NC 27 was sent around the southside of Albermarle. It is unclear whether there was a NC 27A or 27 Business within Albermarle at any point after that. ('63 Official implies yes, but '65 Official definitely no). Today it is simply Main St all the way through. If NC 27 ever used "Old Charlotte Rd" coming into town, it stopped doing so before 1926.

1955 Official
NC 27 through Albemarle
1955 Official
1958 Official
NC 27 reroute to new bypass
1958 Official

In 1958, NC 27 was rerouted at Johnsonville and extended east (crossing NC 87 2 miles north of Spout Springs) through Lillington, Coates, Buies Creek and ending at NC 50 Benson. Buies Creek to Benson had been the second NC 40. The rest was new primary routing. The piece from Johnsonville to Spout Creek was demoted, but in 1962 or 1963 was assigned to NC 24.

1950 Gen Drafting
NC 27 extended to NC 87
1950 Gen Draft
1958 Official
NC 27 extended to Benson
1958 Official

Between 1959-61, NC 27 was given the direct routing it has today between Lake Norwood and Troy as new construction. This left behind NC 73, a new second NC 27A (just SR 1174-old NC 27 today), and NC 109.

1958 Official
NC 27 through Wadeville
1958 Official
1963 Official
NC 27-A appears
1963 Official

In 1962 or 1963, NC 24 was added as a 100+ mile duplex from Charlotte to nearly NC 87!
In Sept 1987 (NCDOT), NC 27 was rerouted at Coats to follow NC 55 south to US 421 Erwin, then follow US 421 back to Buies Creek. The direct route from Coats to Buies Creek became SR 1006.
In July 1989 (NCDOT), NC 27 was rerouted in the Buies Creek again, mostly back to its pre-1987 routing here, except the old route had passed through Campbell University's campus using Pearl Street.

1989 Official
NC 27 routed via Erwin
1989 Official
1993 Official
NC 27 restored but bypasses Campbell Univ
1993 Official

It is unclear when NC 27 was multiplexed with NC 50 to US 301, though I believe it was in the 90's or later.
In 2019, NC 27 was placed on newly constructed bypass around the south of Troy, leaving behind NC 24-27 Business.

Modern Charlotte Changes:
By 1946, NC 27's route within Charlotte was altered slightly, such that it ran along McDowell St directly to Central Ave without using 7th St (which remained part of US 74) before heading east to Albermarle.
Between 1948-50, NC 27 was rerouted in Charlotte again, following the new Independence Blvd. out of Downtown east to the current NC 27 split from US 74.
Around the time the US 29 bypass (now I-85) was completed, definitely by 1960, NC 27 was removed from Tuckaseegee/Thrift Rds east of the freeway and placed on the new Freedom Dr.

1946 Amoco
NC 27 not using 7th
1946 Amoco
1955 Gen Draft
NC 27 moved to Independence
1955 Gen Draft
1963 Official
NC 27 moved to Freedom Dr
1963 Official

In 1966, NC 27 was removed from US 29 Morehead St and sent directly to US 74 Independence Blvd on an extended Freedom Dr.

1966 Official
NC 27 removed from Morehead
1966 Official
1990 Mecklenburg County
NC 27 rerouted to Morehead/McDowell/7th
1990 Mecklenburg County

In July 1989 (NCDOT), NC 27 was rerouted in Charlotte to follow US 29 north (then NC 49 south) on Morehead St to McDowell St northeast to 7th St southeast to the ramps to US 74 Independence Blvd at Charlottetowne Ave.
In 2020, NC 27 was rerouted in Charlotte to use Freedrom Dr past US 29 Morehead to instead follow I-277 through downtown

Comments:
NC 27 is now on BGS's from I-95, since the mid-90's. Its multiplex with NC 24 is easily the state's longest.
Thanks to Lou Corsaro for editorial help with the NC 27 entry.

Last Update: 20 March 2021

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