The Highways of North Carolina
N.C. 108 
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Photo: NC 108's first westbound posting (Adam Prince)
NC 108
N.C. 108  23 miles
The Road: Begins at US 176 Tryon (Polk County) and ends at US 74 Bus-221 Rutherfordton (Rutherford County)
Towns and Attractions: Polk Co: Tryon, Columbus
Rutherford Co: Rutherfordton
History: NC 108 was born in 1940 as a renumbering for part of NC 181 from Tryon to Rutherfordton.

1935 General Drafting
NC 181 Rutherfordton to Tryon
1940 Official
NC 108 replaces NC 181

Between 1950-53, NC 108's east end was shifted to its current endpoint. Initially, NC 108 followed Ridgecrest north to Pine to Mitchell to W. Court east to then-US 74 N. Washington St.

1949 Rutherford County
NC 108 using Court St
1953 Rutherford County
NC 108 using Maple St

The first NC 108 was an original state highway, running from NC 10 (now US 19-74) Topton west through Robbinsville and into Tennessee.
NC 108 may have initially used Wiggins Rd between Sweetgum and Robbinsville but stopped doing so in 1926 if it ever did.
In late 1934, NC 108 was dropped in favor of new US 129. It remains so today except it used Main St through Robbinsville. NC 108 used the three "Old US 129s" (SRs 1138, 1144 and 1147) in the Lake Santeetlah area.

1924 Official
Original NC 108
1936 Official
US 129 erases NC 108

Comment:
NC 108 has always had its funky interchange with I-26 - it is clearly shown this way on the 1968 Polk County map.
NC 108 comes within a very short distance of reaching South Carolina.

Last Update: 8 June 2009

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