End of US highway 190

Note: since I don't have access to a comprehensive collection of historical road atlases, much of the info below is based on the research of Robert Droz and "Urban Prairie Schooner". More research: Adam Froehlig. Photo credits: James Allen; David Backlin; Andy Field; Steven Nelson; Alex Nitzman; Stephen Taylor

US 190 has been around since the beginning of the US highway system (1926), and its east end has always been at its junction with US 90 near Slidell LA. Initially, however, US 90 followed what is now US 11 right through Slidell. So at the time, US 190 came into town via Gause Boulevard and ended at Front Street. The photo below is looking north on Front:

Nitzman, Nov. 1999

During the late 1920s that was eastbound US 90, and to the left on Gause was the east beginning of US 190. It was about 1930 when US 90 was changed to follow its current routing south and east of Slidell. At that time, the US 11 designation was extended south and west into Slidell along former US 90. In town, US 190 joined with it, and the two were duplexed down today's LA hwy. 433. US 190 ended at its junction with US 90, while US 11 was duplexed with US 90 into New Orleans. The shot below is looking west on US 90:

Nitzman, Dec. 2007

During the 1930s, US 190 began to the right. That was also northbound US 11, while southbound was straight ahead (with westbound US 90). US 190's current east terminus was established in the 1940s. The photo below shows the east end:

Nitzman, Nov. 1999

There was no "End" sign there - just the two signs for each direction on US 90. (And even that sign is gone now - as are some of the others shown on this page - presumably victims of Hurricane Katrina.) The shot below was heading east on US 90, at the east beginning of US 190:

Field/Nitzman, June 2001

That assembly is no longer with us, but a couple years after Katrina it was replaced...

Nitzman, Dec. 2007

...and later even "upgraded":

Backlin, Mar. 2009

A similar setup is posted for traffic on westbound US 90:

Left: Nitzman, Dec. 2007 - Right: Backlin, Mar. 2009

If you take that right, you would've seen the signage shown in the photo below:

Nitzman, 1999

That was the first assembly heading west from US 90; Slidell is about 5 miles that direction. When Katrina hit in 2005, that was replaced with an overturned RV. The sign wasn't replaced until 2008 or 2009, and it was still there at the time of the photo below:

Backlin, Mar. 2009

In 1926 the west end of US 190 was in Baton Rouge; you can view photos from there on this page.

In 1935 the US 190 designation was extended west to Brady TX. The photo below was taken at the north city limits, looking south on US 377:

Nelson, May 2005

Back in 1935, that was south on US 283, which met US 87 and US 183 a few blocks ahead. Yeah, I know it's hard to believe, but check out the map below:

TXDoT, 1940

US highway routings have changed a lot in this part of Texas. So, in the photo above, it's possible that the west beginning of US 190 was to the left. However, I think it's more likely that US 190 would've been co-signed ahead with US 283 to its junction with US 87/US 183, which would've been right at the courthouse square:

Taylor, Dec. 2005

(Sorry about the size of that photo, but I have a weakness for Texas courthouses.) To me it seems most likely that US 190 would've been signed to that point.

In 1979 the end of US 190 was extended further west from Brady, to its current terminus: a remote interchange near Iraan TX - you can view photos from there on this page.