End of historic US highway 86

In 2004, US highway guru Robert Droz obtained new information from which he concluded there probably never was a "US 86". If there was, it was probably never actually signed on the road... and even if it was, it only lasted for about one year, in 1933. However, I had put this page together in 2002 (based on Robert's earlier information), so I figure I might as well leave it up in case US 86 ever existed in some form.

Here's what is known: at the time, US 84 ran from Georgia only as far west as Dothan AL. So today's US 84 between Natchez and Waynesboro MS may have originally attained US route status under the designation "US 86". From Waynesboro, the highway would've followed US 45 down to State Line, then modern AL hwy. 56 to its terminus at US 43 in Wagarville. The photo below shows the view there.

That's looking east on AL 56 at US 43, at the historic east end of US 86. These shots are from Alex Nitzman, February 2002. Below I'm showing a closeup of the signage, because I think it's interesting how they used two different styles on both the US shields and the directional banners.

This last shot shows the signage heading north from Mobile at the former east beginning of US 86.

The next year (1934), a bridge over the Alabama River was completed at Claiborne. So the US 84 designation was extended west across southern Alabama, mostly (but not exactly) along its current route. Relevant to this discussion is the fact that - instead of heading west from Grove Hill through Coffeeville to Waynesboro - US 84 originally went south with US 43 through Jackson to Wagarville, then west to State Line, then north to Waynesboro, then west to Natchez (and beyond). In other words, it swallowed up the entirety of what had been US 86, which obviously eliminated the need for a US 86 designation.

It wasn't until sometime after 1960 that US 84 was rerouted along its modern path between Grove Hill and Waynesboro. When that happened, the 28-mile segment from Wagarville to State Line (today's AL 56) was removed from the US highway system - giving the town of Chatom the perhaps unfortunate distinction of being a county seat that was once (but is no longer) served by a US route.

The west end of US 86 would've been in Natchez MS. If you have (or could obtain) a photo of current or historic signage at the place, please let me know!