South Carolina Highway 9 - History

History

Established in 1922 as an original state highway, it traversed from SC 23, in Dillon, west to SC 10, in Enoree. By 1926, SC 9 was extended east to Lake View, then replacing SC 47 to Green Sea, then southeast on new primary routing to Little River. On its northern end, SC 9 rerouted from Kelly to SC 19, near Spartanburg, replacing SC 92. The route from Kelly to Enoree was renumbered SC 92.

In 1927, SC 9 was rerouted between Pageland to Lancaster on a more southern route, avoiding the Tradesville area; The old alignment was briefly downgraded to secondary before being renumbered as SC 906. In 1933, SC 9 was realigned on a straight path from Loris to Little River; most of the old route was downgraded to secondary, with exception to Wampee and eastward becoming SC 90. In 1936, SC 9 was extended north through Spartanburg and Boiling Springs to its current northern terminus at the North Carolina state line; replacing SC 177.

In 1940, SC 9 was extended south as a new primary routing to Cherry Grove Beach. Between 1943-1946, SC 9 was rerouted onto Pine Street between Pacolet to Spartanburg; the old route was downgraded to secondary, but then later became SC 295 in 1948. In 1948, SC 9 south end was truncated at US 17, at Nixons Crossroads; the route to Cherry Grove Beach was downgraded. In 1949, SC 9 was given a southern bypass of Chesterfield, leaving its first business loop through the downtown (since decommissioned). Also in that same year, SC 9 was moved on a more direct routing between Pageland to Lancaster, replacing SC 906; the old routing was renumbered as SC 902 and SC 903 (today US 601).

In 1956, SC 9 was given a southern bypass of Chester, leaving a business loop through downtown. By 1962, SC 9 was rerouted in Spartanburg, utilizing Pine Street to Interstate 585, then north along Boiling Springs Road. Part of the old routing through the downtown area beame part of SC 56. By 1967, SC 9 was given a northern bypass of Lancaster, leaving a business loop through downtown. In 1974, SC 9 was rerouted north into Dillon via US 301/US 501; leaving 3rd Avenue (later becoming Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard).

From 1982-1985, SC 9 moved onto bypass route from Loris to Green Sea, leaving a business loop through downtown Loris. Also around that same time, SC 9 was moved onto a western bypass of Bennettsville, leaving a business loop through downtown. By 1988, SC 9 was re-extended to its current southern terminus at Cherry Grove Beach, replacing part of SC 65.