Chatham and Lee County Trip

Billy Riddle is in the area this weekend visiting relatives with his fiancee. He stopped down to Raleigh and we headed on a brief afternoon trip. And came across two pleasant surprises.

Route: I-440, US 1, NC 42, NC 902, NC 87, US 64, US 1, I-440.

Accomplishments: Billy gained three counties (Lee, Chatham, and Moore). I added mileage to NC 42 and 87 along with clinching NC 902.

Notes:
The US 421 Sanford Bypass is still under construction and I now know that the US 421 interchange with the US 1/15/501/NC 87 freeway will be a cloverleaf with collector/distributor ramps along US 421. US 421 will run over US 1.

We soon got onto NC 42 West which is a rolling highway through fields, farms, and forests towards Pottery Country. Not that far along, we were very surprised to see a covered bridge built just north of where NC 42 crosses Pocket Creek. This is a recently built covered bridge on a small offshoot of former NC 42. It appears some final landscaping and clean-up is needed. I am guessing that the bridge is to be part of Old Gilliam Mill Park.

The next surprise on NC 42 at the Lee/Chatham County Line. Here, where the highway crosses the Deep River are remnants of the former Carbonton Dam. The former hydroelectric dam was built in 1921. Demolition of the dam began in 2005.

There is something about finding old abandoned structures like these in the summer time. Especially right after a thunderstorm or with looming clouds nearby. I think I may convert these to black and white when I add them to Carolina Lost.

Finally, there is the aging bridge that carries NC 42 over the Deep River. There is something about the two photos from today that captures the spirit and the surroundings of today's roadtrip.

That's it for the photos. I took 22 in total and these are some of the ones I enjoyed the most. I was kinda surprised at the amount of great subjects that I found on this route and a few weeks ago in the Uwharries. In addition, in doing some background research for this post there are a number of old truss bridges still standing in Chatham and Lee Counties. It just goes to show that there is still plenty of items to find and stories to be told just within North Carolina.

Comments

Abandoned US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon

Within the Truckee River Canyon in the Sierra Nevada range numerous abandoned portions of US Route 40 can be found alongside modern Interstate 80. This segment of highway was opened during 1926 as a bypass of the Dog Valley Grade which carried the early North Lincoln Highway and Victory Highway. The corridor of the Truckee River Canyon State Highway would be assigned as US Route 40 when the US Route System was commissioned during November 1926. During 1958 the segment of Interstate 80 between Boca, California and the Nevada state line was complete. When Interstate 80 opened east of Boca numerous obsolete portions of US Route 40 were abandoned. Some of these abandoned segments have been incorporated into the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail. Part 1; the history of US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon The Truckee River Canyon for centuries has been an established corridor of travel known to native tribes crossing the Sierra Nevada range. The first documented wagon crossi...

Former US Route 50 and the South Lincoln Highway from Folsom east to Placerville

The corridor of Folsom of Sacramento County east to Placerville of El Dorado County has been a long established corridor of overland travel dating back to the California Gold Rush. The Folsom-Placerville corridor was once part of the path of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road which became the first California State Highway and later the South Lincoln Highway. In time the South Lincoln Highway's surface alignment was inherited by US Route 50. The Folsom-Placerville corridor also includes the communities of; Clarksville, Shingle Springs and El Dorado. Part 1; the history of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road, South Lincoln Highway and US Route 50 through Folsom-Placerville Folsom is located on the American River/Lake Natoma of eastern Sacramento County. That lands now occupied by the City of Folsom were part of Rancho Rio de los Americanos prior to the finding of gold at Sutter's Mill during 1848. During the California Gold Rush the lands of Rancho Rio de los Americanos were p...

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California. Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada. The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926. Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938. A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947. Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association. Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe. Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the September 1950 California Highways & Public Works during its Centennial Edition. The or...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog