State Highway 321 (SH 321) is a north–south highway in southeastern Texas, starting at
US 90
U.S. Route 90 or U.S. Highway 90 (US 90) is an east–west major United States highway in the Southern United States. Despite the "0" in its route number, US 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route. With the exception of a short-lived ...
in
Dayton
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...
and ending at
Loop 573 in
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
. The route was designated on October 30, 1939.
In
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, SH 321 is also known as Houston Street, providing the main street for downtown Cleveland. It is a two lane urban highway with a left turn lane as it travels throughout Cleveland, until roughly 3/4 of a mile northeast of the city limit. From Loop 573, on southward until junction with SH 105, SH 321 is also known as SH 105. In the city of
Dayton
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...
, it is referred to as North Cleveland Street, passing through residential Dayton as a 4-lane urban highway, before narrowing back down to a 2-lane rural State Highway.
SH 321 is part of the eastern
Greater Houston
Greater Houston, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land, is the fifth-most populous metropolitan statistical area in the United States, encompassing nine counties along the Gulf Co ...
area evacuation route, providing a corridor for communities such as
Baytown Baytown may refer to:
* Baytown, Texas, a city in the United States near Houston, Texas
*Baytown culture, an archaeological culture in the United States
*Operation Baytown
Operation Baytown was an Allied amphibious landing on the mainland o ...
,
Kemah, and
Pasadena
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district.
...
.
History
Based on Handbook of Texas article about Tarkington Prairie, SH 321 is believed to cover part of the Nacogdoches-Lynchburg trail, being the Old Wells store (as it is referred to on the historical marker) sits along the trail, and SH 321 runs directly in front of the building.
Historical markers
*Old Wells Store, Tarkington Prairie: Roughly southeast of Cleveland where CR 2274 meets SH 321.
*Burton B. Tarkington, Tarkington Prairie: Roughly southeast of Cleveland in front of the Tarkington Volunteer Fire Department, near CR 2249 and CR 2250 on SH 321.
*John Cherry, Ryan Cemetery: on SH 321, southeast of Cleveland.
Route Description
The southern terminus of SH 321 is at
US 90
U.S. Route 90 or U.S. Highway 90 (US 90) is an east–west major United States highway in the Southern United States. Despite the "0" in its route number, US 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route. With the exception of a short-lived ...
near downtown
Dayton
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...
. As its travels north, it carries the street name North Cleveland Street, immediately north of US 90 is the
Union Pacific
The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
Lafayette subdivision, which SH 321 crosses by an underpass under the railroad right of way.
FM 1960 terminates at the next intersection, as well as is the southern terminus of
FM 1008. SH 321 continues northward through the neighborhoods of Dayton as a 4-lane highway, eventually changing to a 2-lane rural road, then has 2 directional overpasses over the Union Pacific Beaumont subdivision rail line. The eastern terminus of
FM 686 occurs just inside the northern edge of Dayton city limit. To the west of SH 321 is 3
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails, ...
units; Plane State Jail, Henley State Jail, and the Hightower Unit. The road continues north through rural
Liberty County and meets again with the northern terminus of
FM 1008. Continuing north SH 321 passes
FM 163, and a mile later becomes a
concurrent
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
route with
SH 105. As it joins SH 105, the route turns west then northwest as it approaches the city of
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, where is it known as Houston Street. Just inside of the Cleveland City limit, Business SH 105 cuts south around the city. As SH 321 nears the terminus, the route passes
FM 787 and
FM 1010. One block before the terminus in downtown Cleveland the route crosses
Union Pacific
The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
Rabbit line. SH 321 then reaches its terminus at
Loop 573, while SH 105 turns south and become concurrent with Loop 573.
Ghost towns
Martha is on State Highway 321, north of Dayton.
Lyric was south of the route of present-day SH 321, east of Cleveland.
Macedonia is northeast of the junction of SH 321 and FM 1008 sixteen miles northwest of Liberty.
Future
The
Houston-Galveston Area Council
The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is the region-wide voluntary association of local governments in the 13-county Gulf Coast Planning Region of Texas. The organization works with local government officials to solve problems across the area ...
long term plans (by 2025) show plans to expand SH 321 to an urban four lane divided highway with left turn lane, south out of Cleveland until SH 105 cuts east (6–8 miles south of Cleveland).
Junction list
References
{{Reflist
Sources
*Ghost towns
**Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hvm39 (accessed December 24, 2006).
**Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hvlac (accessed December 24, 2006).
*Historical markers
**Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hrt04 (accessed December 24, 2006).
**https://web.archive.org/web/20110707072243/http://www.9key.com/markers/marker_detail.asp?atlas_number=5291009692
**https://web.archive.org/web/20110707072246/http://www.9key.com/markers/marker_detail.asp?atlas_number=5291009689
321
Year 321 ( CCCXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Crispus and Constantinus (or, less frequently, year 1074 ' ...
Transportation in Liberty County, Texas