End of US highway 166

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; click here to view his site. Photo credits: Scott Maness; Jeff Morrison; Ben Prusia

The west end of US 166 has been in South Haven KS since the US routes were originally commissioned in 1926. The photo below is looking west at the junction with US 81:

Prusia, Jan. 2002

Ben has more photos of this junction here. A half mile to the south (left) is "downtown" South Haven, and the north terminus of US 177.

The original east end of US 166 was at its junction with its "parent" route (US 66) in Baxter Springs KS - the photo below shows the place:

Morrison, Jan. 2006

That's looking east on 12th Street. As you can see from the sign at far right, the crossroad (Military Avenue) used to be US 66. There aren't many of those signs (since old 66 passed through only the far southeastern corner of Kansas); below is an enlargement:

Morrison, Jan. 2006

Another such sign is visible in the photo below:

Morrison, Jan. 2006

That's looking the opposite direction; US 166 used to begin straight ahead.

In 1945, the US 166 designation was extended further east, to Springfield MO. The photo below is looking north on Glenstone Avenue (Business I-44) at Kearney Street (MO hwy. 744):

Maness

If you were heading east on US 66, you would've been routed through here and then right on Kearney. To the left on Kearney would've been westbound Business US 66. US 166 was co-signed with US 66 to this point.

US 166 used to go right through downtown Joplin, on 7th Street, and on into Springfield. But after I-44 was built, US 166 was routed onto a new road that connected with the interstate, a bit southwest of Joplin. For a time US 166 continued to run from that point through Joplin and on to Springfield, but now that interchange west of Joplin marks the east end of US 166. You can view photos from there on this page.