Confusing highway signage in Bluff UT

These days, it's perfectly clear that the north end of US 163 is at its junction with US 191 about 4 miles southwest of Bluff. But up until 2004, some signs in Bluff itself implied that US 163 was co-signed with US 191 up to another highway junction right in town. US 163 had two "apparent ends": an odd situation, befitting a misfit route. Heading north on US 191, just on the north edge of Bluff, you can turn right on eastbound U-162:

me, July 2004

Here's the first eastbound marker...

me, July 2004

...although until 2003 the designation for that road was U-163:

Hamilton, Sep. 2003

So far, it seems pretty clear: US 163 begins off US 191 southwest of Bluff; former U-163 (now U-162) begins off 191 at Bluff. But see the backside of that assembly at far left? Let's take a look at those signs:

Hamilton, Sep. 2003

The same assembly was still there in early July 2004, but it was gone by the end of that month. Now it looks like this:

Elbert, July 2005

You can see where the US 163 marker used to be. Now, let's take a look from southbound US 191:

me, July 2004

US 163 was marked from this direction as well. However, while the reassurance marker in the distance used to look like this...

Hamilton, Sep. 2003

...later it was changed to U-163...

me, July 2004

...but then finally all references to "anything-163" were removed:

Elbert, July 2005

Just ahead from there, on the south edge of Bluff, it was marked as US 163 again...

me, July 2004

...but that's gone now, too:

Elbert, July 2005

About four miles ahead is the actual north beginning of US 163; you can view photos from there on this page.