in 1840 with the completion of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. The railroad generally followed the US 117 corridor from Wilmington to Wilson, running through Wallace, Warsaw, Mount Olive, and Goldsboro. The railroad then continued northeast, generally following the US 301 corridor to Weldon. A 1916 commission proposed a system of state highways in North Carolina, consistent with the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916. Among this proposed system was a highway generally running along the railroad from Wilmington to Wilson, via. Kenansville and Goldsboro. The highway then continued further north to Halifax and Roanoke Rapids, before eventually ending at the North Carolina-Virginia state line. Much of the road was unimproved at the time. The only improved section was in New Hanover County. Predecessor highways Upon the creation of the North Carolina State Highway System in 1921, the route between Wilmington and Virginia was assigned as NC 40. NC 40 began in downtown Wilmington and ran northeast to Castle Hayne. The highway ran through Burgaw and was routed to the east of both Wallace and Teachey. While approaching Kenansville, the highway did not enter the town limits. West of the town, it turned to the west and was routed to Warsaw where it met NC 24. In Warsaw, the highway turned to the north until reaching Faison where it turned to the northeast. NC 40 ran through Mount Olive and Dudley before reaching Goldsboro. North of Goldsboro, NC 40 ran to the north, intersecting NC 22 southwest of Wilson. NC 40 then turned to the northeast, running through Wilson, Rocky Mount, and Halifax. North of Halifax, the highway turned to the northwest, following the Roanoke River to Roanoke Rapids. The highway crossed the river near Roanoke Rapids and continued northwest to the Virginia state line. Three sections of the highway were paved in 1924. These sections were between Wilmington and Burgaw, Warsaw and Goldsboro, and Fremont and Elm City. Much of the remaining route was either a gravel, sand, or topsoil road. Only the section between Roanoke Rapids and the Virginia border remained unimproved in 1924. By 1926, NC 40 was rerouted north of Roanoke Rapids to run along an unimproved road to the northeast toward Pleasant Hill. The highway met NC 481 in Pleasant Hill and turned to the north until reaching the Virginia state line. Additionally, the highway was predominantly paved by 1926, with the exception of a