Current and historic US Highway ends
at Whalebone Jct. NC

Until the early 1950's there was no bridge across Croatan Sound. So US 64 went only as far east as Ft. Landing, and the east end of US 264 was at Engelhard (where there was a ferry that went across Pamlico Sound to the town of Hatteras). The US 158 designation not only went down to Whalebone Jct, but from there west across the bridge to Roanoke Island, ending at or near Manteo. So back then, one could experience driving west on US 158 to reach its eastern terminus!

This all changed in 1951, when the William Umstead Bridge was built over the Sound. Then US 158 was cut back to Whalebone. But US 64 and 264 were both extended eastward: joining near Manns Harbor, crossing the new bridge to Manteo, and running along former US 158, ending at Whalebone. So for about 50 years, this intersection served as a common terminus for three US highways - an unusual distinction. Much of this is illustrated on the National Park Service map below, which I picked up in 1999:

Things changed a few years later: presumably in conjunction with the completion of the new Virginia Dare Bridge (which replaced the original Umstead Bridge), the US 264 designation was truncated such that it now ends at its junction with US 64 near Manns Harbor. So I'm glad I had a chance to take photos before that happened - this first one was looking north on NC hwy. 12:

me, Oct. 1999

The east beginning of both US 64 and 264 was to the left. That part makes sense - but then you might find it confusing that straight ahead is also marked "West", and a right turn is "North". Well, straight ahead is the east beginning of US 158, which - although it starts out heading north - eventually turns inland, and is ultimately an east/west route. Northbound NC 12 goes east here for a block or two, but then turns north again. (Matter of fact, it actually follows the original route of US 158. For a while after the newer four-lane was built, it was signed as Business 158.)

Here's a shot from southbound NC 12 (which is curving west at this point):

Summa, 1999

Heading east from Manteo, there were twin "End" signs...

me, Oct. 1999

...and you were also at the beginning of US 158 (to the left).

There was no "End" sign for US 158 where the road begins its curve towards Manteo, but here's a photo of the approach to its terminus:

Summa, 1999

The right lanes curve to the right; the photo below shows the twin "Begin" signs that were posted at the end of the curve:

me, Oct. 1999

Today the 264 assembly has been removed. As I've said, this part of the road was once just US 158, until the first bridge was built across Croatan Sound. Visit Matt Steffora's US 158 page for much more info. More photos from this area can be viewed on Adam Prince's page.