North Carolina Highway 126 (NC 126) is a primary

state highway A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...

in the U.S. state of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. It runs from US 70, in Nebo, to NC 181, in Morganton.

Route description

NC 126 has changed little since it was established in 1940, thus the entire route has many curves as it bends around

Lake James Lake James is a large reservoir in the mountains of Western North Carolina which straddles the border between Burke and McDowell Counties. It is named for tobacco tycoon and benefactor of Duke University James Buchanan Duke. The lake, with su ...

. It serves primarily to connect the people that live on the north side of

Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mari ...

and Morganton; secondary as a scenic route and access to

Lake James State Park Lake James State Park is a North Carolina state park in Burke and McDowell Counties, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Nebo, North Carolina, it covers and borders Lake James. History Started in 1987, Lake James State Park had ...

Scenic byways

Pisgah Loop Scenic Byway is a loop byway. The route is not recommended for recreational vehicles or buses, and four-wheel-drive vehicles are required for unpaved portions. NC 126 makes up the southern section of the byway (). It is noted for being part of the "Overmountain Victory Trail Commemorative Motor Route" and nearby

. Other roads and highways that make-up the loop are: Fish Hatchery Road (SR 1254 & 1240), NC 181, NC 183, and Old NC Highway 105 (SR 1238, the entire road is unpaved).

History

In 1933, NC 126 was established between US 258/ NC 12, near Snow Hill, to

US 17 U.S. Route 17 or U.S. Highway 17 (US 17), also known as the Coastal Highway, is a north–south United States Highway that spans in the southeastern United States. It runs close to the Atlantic Coast for much of its length, with ...

/ NC 30 Wilmar. It was quickly replaced by an extension of NC 102. The current NC 126 was established in 1940 as a renumbering of NC 105 from the community of Longtown to the city of Morganton. In 1954, NC 126 was extended west, replacing NC 105's southern portion from Longtown to Nebo, while the northern section was decommissioned and exists today as unpaved road known as Old NC Highway 105.

Major intersections

References

{{reflist 126 Transportation in McDowell County, North Carolina Transportation in Burke County, North Carolina