This concludes our four-part look at the “Great Shields” of the Carolinas. For 100 years, these routes have done more than move cars; they have defined our economy, birthed our local traditions, and connected our families. While the Interstates may offer more speed, the old highways – US 1, 17, 301, 701, and 501 – still offer the soul of the journey. As we move into the next century of travel, we invite you to take the “long way home” every once in a while and rediscover the history that sits right outside your car window.
How US 701 and US 501 Tied Our Coastal and Farm Communities Together
By BCNews Staff Writer
While the great north-south arteries brought the nation to the Carolinas, it was our local highways that truly tied our communities together. US Route 701 and US Route 501 were established in the early 1930s as vital connectors for the people of Columbus, Brunswick, and Horry counties. These roads were built for commerce and community, serving as the essential links between our rich agricultural heartlands and the developing tourism hubs of the coast. For a century, they have been the roads we use to go to work, to visit family, and to find the shore.
US 701, known as the “Agri-Artery,” remains a critical link for the regional economy. Cutting through Whiteville and Tabor City before heading into Conway, it allowed inland farmers and timber harvesters to reach markets and ports with newfound efficiency. Meanwhile, US 501 became the definitive “Road to the Beach.” Slicing through the tobacco fields of the Pee Dee, it provided a direct pipeline for visitors from the North Carolina Piedmont to land in the heart of Myrtle Beach. Together, these roads fostered a unique regional identity where the farm and the beach were never more than a short drive apart.
As we conclude our centennial series, we look back at the “vintage postcard” era of these routes. Mid-century postcards often featured a car cruising past a classic barn with an inset of a ferris wheel and palm trees, a visual promise of the “journey from farm to fun.” These highways transformed our region from a collection of isolated settlements into a unified economic powerhouse. A hundred years after the first shields were placed, US 701 and 501 stand as a testament to the perseverance of our local communities and the enduring spirit of the open road.
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