North Carolina Highway 105
Encyclopedia
North Carolina Highway 105 is a primary state highway
in the U.S. state
of North Carolina
. It runs from US 221
in Linville
to US 221
/US 421
/NC 194
in Boone
.
The first four miles of the highway is 2-lane and goes by Grandfather
(village) and two golf clubs: Grandfather Golf & Country Club and Linville Ridge. At the Tynecastle intersection, it crosses the Eastern Continental Divide
and begins to descend into a valley area. On this section of the highway, the south-bound traffic has a passing lane and Trucks are required to drive 45 mph. Once the descent ends, the town of Seven Devils
and Ski Hawknest is located on left. Between Seven Devils and Broadstone Road is the unincorporated community of Foscoe
. Some of the best views of Grandfather Mountain
can be seen at this section of the highway; it is also notorious for traffic back-ups by travelers trying to stop and visit shops on either side of the road. A brief south-bound passing lane is available near Hound Ears, however drivers typically do not go fast enough to take advantage of the passing zone or slower traffic will stay left causing passers to pass on right. Between Broadstone Road and NC 105 Bypass, the highway ascends towards Boone, the north-bound traffic expands to two lanes; probably the least scenic section of the road thanks to a quarry and asphalt factory along road. In Boone, the highway becomes a full four-lane highway for the rest of the route and connects to two major roads: Blowing Rock Road and East King Street.
"Tweetsie" railroad that had discontinued service since a major flood in 1940. In the early 1990's, passing lanes were added along the route: Northbound passing lane for a mile before Boone town limits, Southbound passing lane at Hounds Ear, and another Southbound passing lane from Seven Devils to just after the Avery/Watauga county line.
Prior to 1956, NC 105 was originally assigned as a primary route from Nebo
to Linville Falls
in 1926. It was then extended in 1929 slightly south to the US 70/NC 10. In 1935, the highways was rerouted from Longtown to Morganton
; the old route to Nebo was re-branded as NC 105-A. In 1940, NC 105 was restored to its original route to Nebo, eliminating NC 105-A; the route from Longtown to Morganton was rebannered as NC 126
. Then finally in 1954, it was decomissioned; NC 126
was extended from Longtown to Nebo, while NC 183
extended over a small section in Linville Falls. The remaining section, known as "Old NC 105 Road", has remained unchanged and is not recommended for vehicles without four-wheel drive. It's rugged and views of the Linville Gorge Wilderness
makes it a unique part of the Pisgah Loop Scenic Byway.
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|Avery
|Linville
|0
| – Blowing Rock
, Grandfather Mountain
, Marion
, Newland
|NC 105 begins, south end of US 221 Truck overlap
|-
|Sugar Mountain
|4
| – Banner Elk
|Also goes to Beech Mountain
, Lees-McRae College
, and area ski resorts
|-
|rowspan=4|Watauga
|
|12
|Broadstone Road – Valle Crucis
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Boone
|15
|NC 105 Bypass
|North end of US 321 & 421 Truck Overlap
Road typically confused as part of bannered highway because of name; south bound traffic must be on left-lane to stay on highway
|-
|style="background:#ddffdd"|17
|style="background:#ddffdd"| – ASU
, Blowing Rock
, Lenoir
|style="background:#ddffdd"|South end of US 221 overlap, north end of US 221 Truck overlap, south end of US 321 Truck overlap
|-
|style="background:#ddffdd"|17.7
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|NC 105 ends, north end of US 221 overlap, south end of US 421 Truck overlap
Also goes to Todd
, West Jefferson
, and Wilkesboro
|-
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. It runs from US 221
U.S. Route 221 in North Carolina
U.S. Route 221 in North Carolina runs north–south from the South Carolina state line to the Virginia state line in Western North Carolina.-Route description:...
in Linville
Linville, North Carolina
Linville is a community centered just south of the US 221 and NC 105 intersection in Avery County, North Carolina. The community -- at times known as Clay or Porcelain -- was founded in 1883 and designed by Samuel T. Kelsey of Kansas, it was named for William and John Linville, who were killed by...
to US 221
U.S. Route 221 in North Carolina
U.S. Route 221 in North Carolina runs north–south from the South Carolina state line to the Virginia state line in Western North Carolina.-Route description:...
/US 421
U.S. Route 421 in North Carolina
U.S. Route 421 traverses approximately across North Carolina; from Fort Fisher, on a peninsula between the Atlantic and Cape Fear River, to the Tennessee state line near the community of Zionville....
/NC 194
North Carolina Highway 194
North Carolina Highway 194 is a primary state highway in the state of North Carolina. Primarily in the High Country, it runs from US 19E, in Ingalls, to the Virginia state line, near Helton.-Route description:...
in Boone
Boone, North Carolina
Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
.
Route description
Majority of the route was originally the ETWN "Tweetsie" Railroad connecting Linville to Boone before a major flood in 1940 washed away the tracks. In 1956, the state converted the old route into a state highway. Unlike other roads in the area, it was less curvy, less steep, and made the most direct route to Boone compared to US 221 and NC 194. The highway also doubles as a truck route for US 221, US 321, and US 421.The first four miles of the highway is 2-lane and goes by Grandfather
Grandfather, North Carolina
Grandfather is a village in Avery County, North Carolina, United States; named after Grandfather Mountain. The village is a fully gated community within Grandfather Golf and Country Club, located along NC 105...
(village) and two golf clubs: Grandfather Golf & Country Club and Linville Ridge. At the Tynecastle intersection, it crosses the Eastern Continental Divide
Eastern Continental Divide
The Eastern Continental Divide, in conjunction with other continental divides of North America, demarcates two watersheds of the Atlantic Ocean: the Gulf of Mexico watershed and the Atlantic Seaboard watershed. Prior to 1760, the divide represented the boundary between British and French colonial...
and begins to descend into a valley area. On this section of the highway, the south-bound traffic has a passing lane and Trucks are required to drive 45 mph. Once the descent ends, the town of Seven Devils
Seven Devils, North Carolina
Seven Devils is a town in Avery and Watauga counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 129 at the 2000 census. The town, which is located in the midst of the Appalachian Mountains, is best-known as the site of a popular wintertime tubing resort known as Hawksnest, which claims...
and Ski Hawknest is located on left. Between Seven Devils and Broadstone Road is the unincorporated community of Foscoe
Foscoe, North Carolina
Foscoe is an unincorporated community in Watauga County, North Carolina, United States. The community is located on NC 105, southwest of Boone....
. Some of the best views of Grandfather Mountain
Grandfather Mountain
Grandfather Mountain is a mountain, a non-profit attraction, and a North Carolina state parknear Linville, North Carolina. At 5,946 feet , it is the highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the major chains of the Appalachian Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway...
can be seen at this section of the highway; it is also notorious for traffic back-ups by travelers trying to stop and visit shops on either side of the road. A brief south-bound passing lane is available near Hound Ears, however drivers typically do not go fast enough to take advantage of the passing zone or slower traffic will stay left causing passers to pass on right. Between Broadstone Road and NC 105 Bypass, the highway ascends towards Boone, the north-bound traffic expands to two lanes; probably the least scenic section of the road thanks to a quarry and asphalt factory along road. In Boone, the highway becomes a full four-lane highway for the rest of the route and connects to two major roads: Blowing Rock Road and East King Street.
History
Established in 1956 as a new primary route between Linville and Boone, it converted the ETWNEast Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad
The East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad , affectionately called the "Tweetsie" in reference to the sound of its steam whistles, was primarily a railroad established in 1866 for the purpose of serving the mines at Cranberry, North Carolina.The narrow gauge portion of the ET&WNC was...
"Tweetsie" railroad that had discontinued service since a major flood in 1940. In the early 1990's, passing lanes were added along the route: Northbound passing lane for a mile before Boone town limits, Southbound passing lane at Hounds Ear, and another Southbound passing lane from Seven Devils to just after the Avery/Watauga county line.
Prior to 1956, NC 105 was originally assigned as a primary route from Nebo
Nebo, North Carolina
Nebo is an unincorporated community in the Nebo Township of eastern McDowell County, North Carolina. The zip code is 28761.- History :Nebo is named after a Methodist campground that existed before the Civil War...
to Linville Falls
Linville Falls, North Carolina
Linville Falls is an unincorporated community at the junction of Avery, Burke, and McDowell counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The community is named after Linville Falls, a nearby waterfall in the Linville Gorge Wilderness.- Attractions :...
in 1926. It was then extended in 1929 slightly south to the US 70/NC 10. In 1935, the highways was rerouted from Longtown to Morganton
Morganton, North Carolina
Morganton is a city in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. Reader's Digest included Morganton in its list of top ten places to raise a family. The town was recently profiled in The 50 Best Small Southern Towns. The population was 17,310 at the 2000 census...
; the old route to Nebo was re-branded as NC 105-A. In 1940, NC 105 was restored to its original route to Nebo, eliminating NC 105-A; the route from Longtown to Morganton was rebannered as NC 126
North Carolina Highway 126
North Carolina Highway 126 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It runs from US 70, in Nebo, to NC 181, in Morganton.-Route description:...
. Then finally in 1954, it was decomissioned; NC 126
North Carolina Highway 126
North Carolina Highway 126 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It runs from US 70, in Nebo, to NC 181, in Morganton.-Route description:...
was extended from Longtown to Nebo, while NC 183
North Carolina Highway 183
North Carolina Highway 183 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It runs from US 221, in the community of Linville Falls, to NC 181, near the community of Jonas Ridge.-Route description:...
extended over a small section in Linville Falls. The remaining section, known as "Old NC 105 Road", has remained unchanged and is not recommended for vehicles without four-wheel drive. It's rugged and views of the Linville Gorge Wilderness
Linville Gorge Wilderness
The Linville Gorge Wilderness is the third largest wilderness area in North Carolina and one of only two wilderness gorges in the Southern United States...
makes it a unique part of the Pisgah Loop Scenic Byway.
Future
Identified by local and state officials as a critical highway in the High Country, that is choked by high truck volumes and seasonal tourist traffic, NCDOT plans to widen 14.6 miles (23.5 km) of NC 105 into a divided four-lane highway from Linville to N.C. 105 Bypass (State Road 1107) in Boone. The project is broken into two sections: section one - Linville to Foscoe and section two - Foscoe to Boone. The estimated cost of the entire project is $103 million. Section two right-of-way acquisition is tentatively to being in May, 2015, with construction tentatively set to begin in March, 2018. No time table regarding section one at this time.Junction list
{| class="wikitable"!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=2|Avery
Avery County, North Carolina
- Climate :As a result of its relatively high elevation, Avery County has a Humid continental climate enjoying considerably cooler summers than most of the rest of the Eastern US. Likewise, winters are longer, colder and snowier than most other locations in the region. This can be evidenced by the...
|Linville
Linville, North Carolina
Linville is a community centered just south of the US 221 and NC 105 intersection in Avery County, North Carolina. The community -- at times known as Clay or Porcelain -- was founded in 1883 and designed by Samuel T. Kelsey of Kansas, it was named for William and John Linville, who were killed by...
|0
| – Blowing Rock
Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Blowing Rock is a town in North Carolina, USA, situated in both Caldwell and Watauga counties. The population was 1,418 at the 2000 census. However, during the summer the town's population increases to about 10,000.]]\\...
, Grandfather Mountain
Grandfather Mountain
Grandfather Mountain is a mountain, a non-profit attraction, and a North Carolina state parknear Linville, North Carolina. At 5,946 feet , it is the highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the major chains of the Appalachian Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway...
, Marion
Marion, North Carolina
Marion is a city in McDowell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,943 at the 2008 estimated census. It is the county seat of McDowell County.-Geography:Marion is located at ....
, Newland
Newland, North Carolina
Newland is a town in Avery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 704 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Avery County. Before its founding, the area was known as Old Fields or Old Fields of Toe. In 1911 it was renamed Newland, after North Carolina Lieutenant Governor...
|NC 105 begins, south end of US 221 Truck overlap
|-
|Sugar Mountain
Sugar Mountain, North Carolina
Sugar Mountain is a village in Avery County, North Carolina, United States. The village is located on Sugar Mountain's north slope. The population was 226 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sugar Mountain is located at ....
|4
| – Banner Elk
Banner Elk, North Carolina
-Attractions:During summer time there is hiking, whitewater rafting, fishing, and other activities. The largest lake in the area, Watauga Lake, is a favorite spot just 30 minutes away for boating, fishing and wake boarding. In the winter the main event is skiing and snowboarding. There are two...
|Also goes to Beech Mountain
Beech Mountain, North Carolina
For the geographical feature, see Beech MountainBeech Mountain is the highest town east of the Rocky Mountains, located in both Avery and Watauga counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 310 at the 2000 census...
, Lees-McRae College
Lees-McRae College
Lees-McRae College is a private four-year college in Banner Elk, North Carolina affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . Lees-McRae College has the highest elevation of any college or university in the United States east of the Mississippi River at above sea level. It is one of the few colleges...
, and area ski resorts
|-
|rowspan=4|Watauga
Watauga County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,695 people, 16,540 households, and 9,411 families residing in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile . There were 23,155 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile...
|
|12
|Broadstone Road – Valle Crucis
Valle Crucis, North Carolina
Valle Crucis is an unincorporated community located in Watauga County, North Carolina, United States. The name of the town is Latin for "Vale of the Cross," a reference to a valley in the area where three streams converge to form a shape similar to an archbishop's cross...
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Boone
Boone, North Carolina
Boone is a town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, United States. Boone's population was reported as 17,122, as of 2010...
|15
|NC 105 Bypass
|North end of US 321 & 421 Truck Overlap
Road typically confused as part of bannered highway because of name; south bound traffic must be on left-lane to stay on highway
|-
|style="background:#ddffdd"|17
|style="background:#ddffdd"| – ASU
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University is a comprehensive , public, coeducational university located in Boone, North Carolina, United States. Appalachian State, also referred to as Appalachian, App State, or simply App, is the sixth largest institution in the University of North Carolina system...
, Blowing Rock
Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Blowing Rock is a town in North Carolina, USA, situated in both Caldwell and Watauga counties. The population was 1,418 at the 2000 census. However, during the summer the town's population increases to about 10,000.]]\\...
, Lenoir
Lenoir, North Carolina
Lenoir is a city in Caldwell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 18,228 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Caldwell County. Lenoir is located in the Blue Ridge foothills. The city also contains the Brushy Mountains, a spur of the Blue Ridge Mountains...
|style="background:#ddffdd"|South end of US 221 overlap, north end of US 221 Truck overlap, south end of US 321 Truck overlap
|-
|style="background:#ddffdd"|17.7
|style="background:#ddffdd"|
|style="background:#ddffdd"|NC 105 ends, north end of US 221 overlap, south end of US 421 Truck overlap
Also goes to Todd
Todd, North Carolina
Todd is an unincorporated community straddling the county lines of Watauga and Ashe counties in northwestern North Carolina on the South Fork of the New River. It lies at an elevation of 2,992 feet ....
, West Jefferson
West Jefferson, North Carolina
West Jefferson is a town in Ashe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census.-History:West Jefferson was incorporated as a city in 1909, and it is the second-oldest incorporated town in Ashe County. West Jefferson has the distinction of having the only cheese...
, and Wilkesboro
Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Wilkesboro is a town in and the county seat of Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,159 at the 2000 census, and it is the second largest municipality in the county. The 2010 Census listed the town's population at 3,044. The town is located along the south bank of the...
|-
Alternate names
Though the highway is commonly known as "105" in the area, they highway does have other known names.- Linville Avenue - road name, within the unincorporated community of Linville.
- Linville Highway - less common alternate name.
- W Ralph Winkler Highway - official name of highway, from the Avery/Watauga county line to Blowing Rock Road.
- NC 105 Extension - road name, from Blowing Rock Road to East King Street.
See also
- Brier KnobBrier Knob (Avery County, North Carolina)Brier Knob is a mountain in the North Carolina High Country, at the Linville community. It is wholly in the Pisgah National Forest. Its elevation reaches . Feeder streams from the mountain flow directly into the Linville River....
- East Tennessee and Western North Carolina RailroadEast Tennessee and Western North Carolina RailroadThe East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad , affectionately called the "Tweetsie" in reference to the sound of its steam whistles, was primarily a railroad established in 1866 for the purpose of serving the mines at Cranberry, North Carolina.The narrow gauge portion of the ET&WNC was...
- Flattop MountainFlattop Mountain (North Carolina)Flattop Mountain is a mountain in the North Carolina High Country, at the village of Sugar Mountain. It is wholly in the Pisgah National Forest. Its elevation reaches...
- Grandfather MountainGrandfather MountainGrandfather Mountain is a mountain, a non-profit attraction, and a North Carolina state parknear Linville, North Carolina. At 5,946 feet , it is the highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the major chains of the Appalachian Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway...
- Linville RiverLinville RiverThe Linville River is a river in western North Carolina. The river begins in the slopes of Peak Mountain, Sugar Mountain and Flattop Mountain, in the Linville Gap . As it goes south through Avery County, it passes through the communities of Grandfather, Linville, Pineola, Crossnore and finally at...
- Peak MountainPeak Mountain (North Carolina)Peak Mountain is a mountain in the North Carolina High Country, near the town of Seven Devils. It is wholly in the Pisgah National Forest. Its elevation reaches ....
- Watauga RiverWatauga RiverThe Watauga River is a large stream of western North Carolina and East Tennessee. It is 60 miles long with its headwaters on the slopes of Grandfather Mountain and Peak Mountain in Watauga County, North Carolina.-Hydrography:...