SC 161 Columbia to Union 1927 Gen Draft

SC 215 replaces SC 161 1930 Official

Adjustments: In Oct 1937 (SCDOT), SC 215 was extended west with US 78 into Aiken via Park Ave, then continued past SC 19 along Hayne Ave to end at US 1-78 just west of Aiken. Hayne Ave was almost certainly part of US 78 at some point but it is unclear when that stopped being true.
About 1940, SC 215 was rerouted in Columbia to run from Gervais-Assembly-Taylor-Main to instead use Gervais-Main.
In 1941 or 1942, SC 215 was rerouted around the east side of the Columbia Army Air Base.
Between 1943-48, SC 215 was rerouted in Columbia from Gervais-Main to Gervais-Assembly-Elmwood-Main.
In 1947, SC 215 was rerouted to head to Union without going to Monarch, replacing what was a primary route whose designation is not clear. The route to Monarch and Union became part of SC 92 (now this is the SC 49-215 CONN, SC 49, and S-44-6).
In 1949, SC 215 was extended north with US 176 through Union, then replaced US 176 through Buffalo and ending at SC 56 Pauline.

SC 215 to Union via Monarch 1941 Official

SC 215 to Union without Monarch 1948 Official

SC 215 extended to Pauline 1948 Official

In 1950, SC 215 was extended north replacing S-42-89 and S-42-49 to end at US 221 (now S-42-425) Roebuck.
Between 1948-53, SC 215 was put back on its original routing through what was now Columbia's Airport.
By 1952, SC 215 was moved along with US 78 from Park Ave to Richland Ave (replacing US 78 ALT) and ended at US 1. Hayne Ave and Park Ave became S-2-3.

SC 215 through Aiken 1940 Aiken County

SC 215 moved from Park/Hayne to Richland Ave 1952 Aiken County

In 1953, SC 215 was rerouted in West Columbia and Columbia to use Knox Abbott Dr across the Congaree River, then Blossom St east to Assembly north. The original route became US 1-21 CONN and US 1.

SC 215 using US 1 bridge 1947 Lexington County

SC 215 moved from Park/Hayne to Richland Ave 1953 Lexington County

SC 215 original Columbia route 1932 Texaco

SC 215 moved from Assembly-Taylor to Main directly 1942 Richland County

SC 215 moved to Assembly-Elwood 1948 Richland County

SC 215 moved to Blossom-Assembly-Elwood 1963 Richland County

About 1956, SC 215 was placed on a new bypass west of Union, leaving behind US 176 Business (current SC 18).

US 176 through Union 1956 Union County

US 176 bypasses Union 1956 Union County

In 1963, SC 215 was extended north to its current endpoint, replacing part of SC 295.

SC 215 extended to US 221 Roebuck 1950 Official

SC 215 extended over SC 295 to western Spartanburg 1963 Official

Between 1964-67, SC 215 was rerouted east around Columbia airport, using the southern half of the early 1940s rerouting before cutting westward sooner. The northern half of the 1940s loop is still visible on satellite but is not a road anymore.

SC 215 original approach to Springdale 1940 Lexington County

SC 215 shifted eastward around Army Base 1942 Lexington County

SC 215 straight through airport property 1953 Lexington County

SC 215 shifted eastward again 1967 Lexington County

In 1971, SC 215 was removed from Old Monticello Rd loop a little south of SC 269.
In 1976, SC 215 south was truncated to US 21-321 in Eau Claire, leaving behind US 78 out of Aiken; SC 302 from US 78 to Springdale; US 21-321 through Cayce and Columbia (some of this is now US 21-76 CONN and SC 48).

SC 121 Aiken to Columbia via Wagener 1926 Official

SC 215 replaces SC 121 1930 Official

SC 302 replaces SC 215 Aiken to Columbia area 1976 Official

Improvements: Only Eau Claire to Columbia was paved upon creation in 1928.
Cayce to Union was paved by April 1932.
All of SC 215 in Aiken County plus the SC 6 multiplex was paved in 1937.
The rest of SC 215 was paved in 1939.
The US 21-321 multiplpex was 4-laned by 1958.
SC 215 from US 21-176-321 southwest to the airport was 4-laned in 1962.
SC 215 was multilaned on its US 78 duplex in 1963.
SC 215 was 4-laned from US 21-321 to I-20 in 1967, and this was extended a couple miles north between 1968-69, and a couple miles further north in 1973.
SC 215 was 4-laned on the Union bypass by 1987, although no Official Map has ever shown this.
Comment: SC 215 makes a pretty decent backdoor route from Columbia to Union - not many towns and the route is not winding.
Why SC 215 was assigned from Aiken to Union in the first place makes no sense, since SC 19-US 176 covered the same territory in many fewer miles.
There was a SC 215 overhead posting at Blossom-Assembly for a number of years past the truncation of SC 215.