The Highways of North Carolina
N.C. 65 
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Photo: NC 65 at its present US 52 endpoint (Mark Clifton)
NC 65
N.C. 65  47 miles
The Road: Begins at US 52 Rural Hall (Forsyth County) and ends at US 29 Bus-US 158-NC 87 Reidsville (Rockingham County)
Towns and Attractions: Forsyth Co.: Rural Hall  
Stokes Co.: Walnut Cove
Forsythe Co.: None
Guilford Co.: Stokesdale
Rockingham Co.: Reidsville
History: NC 65 was born in 1934 as new primary routing. Ran at least from NC 66 Rural Hall east to US 158/NC 48 Stokesdale. The 1934 map I have is vague whether 65 ran west of Rural Hall.
In 1935, NC 65 was extended northeast as new primary routing directly to Reidsville, then extended northwest as new primary routing to end at NC 700-770 Leaksville-Spray (now Eden). NC 65 used today's Scales St and a bit of NC 14, then Harrisons Cross Roads Rd, another bit of NC 14, then Bethlehem Church Rd. Just after today's US 311/NC 87-770, NC 65 cut northeast on Mebane Bridge Rd across the Dan River, then it looks like modern NC 14-87-770 destroyed some of the route, but it used Pearce St to connect with today's NC 700-770.
By 1936, NC 65 was extended west as new routing to end at US 421 (now just Yadkinville Rd) Pfafftown.
In 1937, the north end of NC 65 was shifted to NC 54 (now NC 87) south of Eden by staying on Bethlehem Church Rd.

1936 Official
NC 65 extended to Eden
1939 Official
NC 65 shifted in Eden
1941-42 Official
NC 14 replaces NC 65 to Eden

In 1941, NC 65 and US 158 swapped routings between Stokesdale and Reidsville. Also, NC 65 from Reidsville to Eden became NC 14. NC 65 now ended at Harrison at Scales in downtown Reidsville.

1934 Gen Draft
NC 65 ends at Stokesdale
1935 Gen Draft
NC 65 extended to Reidsville
1941-42 Official
NC 65 swaps with US 158


Between 1956-58, NC 65 was rerouted in the Walnut Cove area to its current duplex with US 311. Up to then, NC 65 crossed modern US 311 to Stokesburg Rd, then north to Walnut Cove, tehn southeast a brief period on today's 65, the east on Martin Luther King Jr Rd, then it used Old 65 Rd. to meet back up with NC 65.

1955 Official
NC 65 initial Walnut Cove routing
1958 Official
NC 65 modern Walnut Cove routing

In 1958, official maps started showing NC 65 west as truncated to NC 67 Bethania, leaving behind SR 3210. However, county atlases through at least 1968 showed NC 65 ending at SR 1525 Old Yadkinville Rd.
In 1974, NC 65 east was truncated 1 block to US 158 S. Main St.
Between 1980-82, US 158 was removed from Reidsville, so NC 65 may have been truncated to its current end then. However, NC 87 continued to run through Reidsville until 2000 so it is vague if 65 still followed 87 into downtown until then or not.
In 2000, NC 65 west was truncated again, to US 52 near Rural Hall, leaving behind SR 1611 and SR 4002.

1955 Official
NC 65 ends at Pfafftown
1958 Official
NC 65 truncated to NC 67
2000 Official
NC 65 truncated to US 52


The first NC 65 was an original state highway that began at NC 75-80 (current US 64-601) Mocksville. It followed todya's US 158 nrtheast to Winston Salem, entering on Stafford Ave. NC 65 then used today's Country Club Rd and Burk St, then 4th St, Main St and 3rd St east to Dunleith Ave. NC 65 went south on Dunleith to the vicinity of today's I-40 Bus before curling around to use today's Maryland Ave and Old Greensboro Rd to leave town.
NC 65 followed Old Greensboro Rd to modern US 158, then used Old Bellews Creek Rd, a bit of 158, and Bellews Creek Rd to today's NC 65.
Original NC 65 followed current 65 from Bellews Creek through Stokesdale and Wentworth, then ventured north on today's Wentworth St to northern Reidsville.
Original NC 65 used Scales St to Lawsonville Ave out to modern US 158. NC 65 then followed modern US 158 to almost Yanceyville, where the route ended at NC 14 ("old NC 86").
Between 1923-26, NC 65 was rerouted within Winston-Salem to use 5th St east out away from Main St instead of 3rd.

1922 Auto Trails
NC 65 W-S routing (1921-1925)
1926 Auto Trails
NC 65 W-S routing (1926-31)


In 1929, NC 65 was straightened out from Winston-Salem to Stokesdale to use modern US 158.

1926 Official
NC 65 swings through Belew Creek
1929 Official
NC 65 directly to Stokesdale


In 1930, NC 65 was extended east with NC 14 into Yanceyville on Main St, then further east as new primary routing to end at NC 55-57 (current Main St) Roxboro.
In 1931, NC 65 was renumbered as an extended NC 48.

1930 Official

1930 Official
NC 65 Mocksville to W-S and Yanceyville
1931 Official

1931 Official
NC 48 replaces NC 65

Comments:
Today's NC 65 doesn't have much purpose if you ask me as it is surrounded by other corridors.

Last Update: 23 August 2008

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