U.S. Route 79
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 79 is a north–south United States highway. The route is a northeast-southwest diagonal, with both east–west segments and north–south segments equally mixed. The highway's northern terminus is in Russellville
, Kentucky
, at an intersection with U.S. Highway 68 and KY 80. Its southern terminus is in Round Rock
, Texas
, at an intersection with Interstate 35
, ten miles (16 km) north of Austin
.
US 79, US 68, and Interstate 24
/US 62 are the primary east–west access points for the Land Between the Lakes recreation area straddling the Kentucky
/Tennessee
border.
's Exit #253 north of Austin
in Round Rock
. The route travels eastward through Taylor
and Rockdale
, where it intersects US 77. In Milano
, US 79 turns to the northeast and begins a concurrency with US 190
until Hearne, Texas
. The route continues through Franklin
and Jewett
before reaching Buffalo
, where it intersects Interstate 45
at its Exit #178. US 79 has a brief duplex with US 84 that begins near Oakwood
and continues through Palestine
before separating; here US 79 also intersects US 287
. The route continues to the northeast through Jacksonville
, where it has a junction with US 69, and Henderson
, where it crosses US 259. The highway then travels due east to Carthage
, where it meets US 59
, before resuming a northeasterly direction and crossing into Louisiana
near Panola
.
, and the two routes are cosigned through Shreveport
. US 79/80 cross the Red River over the Texas Street Bridge and continue into Bossier City
. The routes parallel Interstate 20
through the old Bossier City Entertainment District until Minden
, where the two routes separate: US 80 continues eastward, while US 79 turns to the northeast toward Homer
. In Homer, the route resumes a more northerly direction, traveling through Haynesville
before crossing the Arkansas border about 7 miles (11.3 km) south of Emerson, Arkansas
.
, where it has a brief concurrency with through the city. From here, the route turns to the northeast, through Camden
, where it intersects , and Fordyce
, in which it has a brief concurrency with . East of Kingsland
, the highway travels in a more northerly direction as it prepares to enter the Pine Bluff
metropolitan area. In Pine Bluff, U.S. 79 joins the Interstate 530
freeway, while a business route continues through downtown. After the freeway ends, U.S. 79 and , with which it is cosigned, leave the city toward the north. The two routes stay joined until Stuttgart
. U.S. 79 continues to the east and northeast, through Marianna
and Hughes
, before turning due north to an intersection with Interstate 40
near Jennette
. U.S. 79 joins I-40 and the two routes stay cosigned through the concurrency with Interstate 55 in West Memphis
, before U.S. 79 joins I-55 to cross the Mississippi River
at the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge into Memphis
.
Wilma Rudolph Boulevard is the name given to the portion of U. S. Route 79 in Clarksville, Tennessee
between the Interstate 24 exit 4 in Clarksville to the Red River (Lynnwood-Tarpley) bridge near the Kraft Street intersection. This section of Highway 79 in Clarksville was previously called the Guthrie Highway, for nearby Guthrie, Kentucky
, but in 1994, the name was changed to honor Wilma Rudolph
, an olympic runner from Clarksville, who won three gold medals in the 1960 Rome Olympic Games, the Summer Olympics.
Between Clarksville, TN and Dover, TN the road is known as "Dover Road".
, it currently does not touch KY 79
, whose southern terminus is at Russellville. That highway extends northward to the Ohio River
, into Indiana
. It is unknown at present if KY 79 was meant to be a northern extension of US 79.
. Even then, the route was diagonal enough that it could have been numbered odd or even. Until
1991, US 79's southern terminus was in Austin, Texas
.
Russellville, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,149 people, 3,064 households, and 1,973 families residing in the city. The population density was 672.1 people per square mile . There were 3,458 housing units at an average density of 325.1 per square mile...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, at an intersection with U.S. Highway 68 and KY 80. Its southern terminus is in Round Rock
Round Rock, Texas
Round Rock is a city in Travis and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the metropolitan area. The 2010 census places the population at 99,887....
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, at an intersection with Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
, ten miles (16 km) north of Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
US 79, US 68, and Interstate 24
Interstate 24
Interstate 24 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from Interstate 57 to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Interstate 75....
/US 62 are the primary east–west access points for the Land Between the Lakes recreation area straddling the Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
/Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
border.
Texas
US 79 begins at Interstate 35Interstate 35 in Texas
Interstate 35 in Texas is a major north–south Interstate Highway running from Laredo near the United States-Mexico border to the Red River north of Gainesville where it crosses into Oklahoma. Along its route, it passes through the cities of San Antonio, Austin, and Waco before it splits into two...
's Exit #253 north of Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in Round Rock
Round Rock, Texas
Round Rock is a city in Travis and Williamson counties in the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the metropolitan area. The 2010 census places the population at 99,887....
. The route travels eastward through Taylor
Taylor, Texas
Taylor is a city in Williamson County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,575 at the 2000 census; it was 15,191 in the 2010 census estimate. Taylors largest employers include the Electric Reliability Council of Texas , Durcon Inc, and the T. Don Hutto Residential Center, an immigration...
and Rockdale
Rockdale, Texas
Rockdale is a city in Milam County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,440 at the 2000 census.Rockdale was the site of a large Alcoa smelting operation, which could produce 1.67 million pounds of aluminum per day. The ALCOA plant was closed in late 2008 - early 2009.Author George Sessions...
, where it intersects US 77. In Milano
Milano, Texas
Milano is a city in Milam County, Texas, United States, located at the intersection of U.S. Route 79 and State Highway 36, twelve miles southeast of Cameron, the county seat...
, US 79 turns to the northeast and begins a concurrency with US 190
U.S. Route 190 in Texas
US 190 is a major east-west highway that starts in Texas. The highway begins at I-10 about 20 miles west of Iraan. The highway shares overlaps with Interstates 35 and 45. US 190 is a freeway from Fort Hood near Copperas Cove to I-35 in Belton. The freeway is known as Central Texas Expressway...
until Hearne, Texas
Hearne, Texas
Hearne is a city in Robertson County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,690 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area...
. The route continues through Franklin
Franklin, Texas
Franklin is a city in Robertson County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,470 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Robertson County...
and Jewett
Jewett, Texas
Jewett is a city in Leon County, Texas, United States. The population was 861 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Jewett is located at ....
before reaching Buffalo
Buffalo, Texas
This article is about the city in Leon County, Texas. A similarly named place exists in Henderson County, Texas, the settlement of John H. Reagan.Buffalo is a city in Leon County, Texas, United States...
, where it intersects Interstate 45
Interstate 45
Interstate 45 is an intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It connects the cities of Dallas and Houston, continuing southeast from Houston to Galveston over the Galveston Causeway to the Gulf of Mexico...
at its Exit #178. US 79 has a brief duplex with US 84 that begins near Oakwood
Oakwood, Texas
Oakwood is a town in Freestone and Leon counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 471 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Oakwood is located at ....
and continues through Palestine
Palestine, Texas
Palestine is a city in Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,598, and 18,458 in the 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Anderson County and is situated in East Texas...
before separating; here US 79 also intersects US 287
U.S. Route 287 in Texas
In the U.S. state of Texas, U.S. Highway 287 is a U.S. Highway that begins on the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur and heads north through Fort Worth, northwest to Childress, Clarendon, and Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle and into Oklahoma near Kerrick....
. The route continues to the northeast through Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Texas
Jacksonville is located in Cherokee County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,868 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Cherokee County and part of the larger Tyler-Jacksonville Combined Statistical...
, where it has a junction with US 69, and Henderson
Henderson, Texas
Henderson is a city in Rusk County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,273 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rusk County...
, where it crosses US 259. The highway then travels due east to Carthage
Carthage, Texas
Carthage is a city in Panola County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Panola County, and is situated in East Texas near the Louisiana state line.-Geography:...
, where it meets US 59
U.S. Route 59 in Texas
In the U.S. state of Texas, U.S. 59 is named the Lloyd Bentsen Highway, after Lloyd Bentsen, former U.S. Senator from Texas. In northern Houston, US 59 is the Eastex Freeway...
, before resuming a northeasterly direction and crossing into Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
near Panola
Panola, Texas
Panola is an unincorporated community in Panola County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 296 in 2000....
.
Louisiana
US 79 joins US 80 near GreenwoodGreenwood, Louisiana
Greenwood is a town in southern Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,458 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Shreveport-Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.Greenwood was established in 1839...
, and the two routes are cosigned through Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
. US 79/80 cross the Red River over the Texas Street Bridge and continue into Bossier City
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
. The routes parallel Interstate 20
Interstate 20 in Louisiana
Interstate 420 was to be a bypass of Monroe, Louisiana. Initially proposed in the late 1950s, this route was to have been only two lanes wide at a cost $29 million with a projected 2,500 to 3,000 ADT in 1964. The project was effectively canceled on October 12, 1964, when then Louisiana...
through the old Bossier City Entertainment District until Minden
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
, where the two routes separate: US 80 continues eastward, while US 79 turns to the northeast toward Homer
Homer, Louisiana
Homer is present day parish seat of Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States. The town was named after the Greek poet Homer and was laid out around the Courthouse Square in 1850 by Frank Vaughn. The present day brick courthouse, built in the Greek Revival style of architecture, is one of only...
. In Homer, the route resumes a more northerly direction, traveling through Haynesville
Haynesville, Louisiana
Haynesville is a town in northern Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States, located just south of the Arkansas border. The population was 2,679 at the 2000 census....
before crossing the Arkansas border about 7 miles (11.3 km) south of Emerson, Arkansas
Emerson, Arkansas
Emerson is a town in Columbia County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 359 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Emerson is located at ....
.
Arkansas
U.S. 79 continues northward from Louisiana into MagnoliaMagnolia, Arkansas
Magnolia is a city in Columbia County, Arkansas, United States, that was founded in 1853. At the time of its incorporation in 1858, the city had a population of about 1,950. The city grew slowly as an agricultural and regional cotton market until the discovery of oil just east of the city in March,...
, where it has a brief concurrency with through the city. From here, the route turns to the northeast, through Camden
Camden, Arkansas
Camden is a city in and the county seat of Ouachita County in the southern part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. Long an area of American Indians villages, the French also made a permanent settlement here because of its advantageous location above the Ouachita River. According to 2007 Census...
, where it intersects , and Fordyce
Fordyce, Arkansas
Fordyce is a city in Dallas County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 4,799 at the 2000 census.The city is the county seat, home to the 1911 Dallas County Courthouse .-Geography:...
, in which it has a brief concurrency with . East of Kingsland
Kingsland, Arkansas
Kingsland is a city in Cleveland County, Arkansas, United States. Its population was 447 at the 2010 U.S. census. It is included in the Pine Bluff, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, the highway travels in a more northerly direction as it prepares to enter the Pine Bluff
Pine Bluff, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
metropolitan area. In Pine Bluff, U.S. 79 joins the Interstate 530
Interstate 530
Interstate 530 in Arkansas is a spur route of the Interstate highway system, traveling from Little Rock at the junction of Interstate 30 and Interstate 440 in the northwest, to Pine Bluff in the southeast.-Route description:...
freeway, while a business route continues through downtown. After the freeway ends, U.S. 79 and , with which it is cosigned, leave the city toward the north. The two routes stay joined until Stuttgart
Stuttgart, Arkansas
Stuttgart is a city in and the county seat of the northern district of Arkansas County, Arkansas, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 79 about miles southeast of Little Rock. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 9,376.The town proclaims itself the "Rice...
. U.S. 79 continues to the east and northeast, through Marianna
Marianna, Arkansas
Marianna is a city in and the county seat of Lee County, Arkansas, United States, along the L'Anguille River. The community was established by Col. Walter H. Otey in 1848 and was known as Walnut Ridge until 1852 when it became known as Marianna...
and Hughes
Hughes, Arkansas
Hughes is a city in St. Francis County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,867 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hughes is located at ....
, before turning due north to an intersection with Interstate 40
Interstate 40 in Arkansas
Interstate 40 is an east–west Interstate Highway that has a section in the U.S. state of Arkansas connecting sections in Oklahoma to Tennessee. The route enters Arkansas from the west just north of the Arkansas River near Dora...
near Jennette
Jennette, Arkansas
Jennette is a town in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 124 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Jennette is located at ....
. U.S. 79 joins I-40 and the two routes stay cosigned through the concurrency with Interstate 55 in West Memphis
West Memphis, Arkansas
West Memphis is the largest city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 27,666 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 28,181 in 2005, and 31,329 in 2011 ranking it as the state's 11th largest city, behind Hot Springs...
, before U.S. 79 joins I-55 to cross the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
at the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge into Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
Tennessee
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
between the Interstate 24 exit 4 in Clarksville to the Red River (Lynnwood-Tarpley) bridge near the Kraft Street intersection. This section of Highway 79 in Clarksville was previously called the Guthrie Highway, for nearby Guthrie, Kentucky
Guthrie, Kentucky
Guthrie is a city in Todd County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 1,469 at the 2000 census. The city is named for James Guthrie, president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad when the city was incorporated in 1867.-Geography:...
, but in 1994, the name was changed to honor Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Glodean Rudolph was an American athlete. Rudolph was considered the fastest woman in the world in the 1960s and competed in two Olympic Games, in 1956 and in 1960....
, an olympic runner from Clarksville, who won three gold medals in the 1960 Rome Olympic Games, the Summer Olympics.
Between Clarksville, TN and Dover, TN the road is known as "Dover Road".
Kentucky
While US 79 ends at the US 68 / KY 80 duplex in Russellville, KentuckyRussellville, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,149 people, 3,064 households, and 1,973 families residing in the city. The population density was 672.1 people per square mile . There were 3,458 housing units at an average density of 325.1 per square mile...
, it currently does not touch KY 79
Kentucky Route 79
Kentucky Route 79 originates at a junction with US 431 in downtown Russellville in Logan County. The route continues through Morgantown, Caneyville, Short Creek, Cannons Point, Harned, and Irvington, to terminate at the Ohio River near Brandenburg in Meade County, where, after crossing the Matthew E...
, whose southern terminus is at Russellville. That highway extends northward to the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, into Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. It is unknown at present if KY 79 was meant to be a northern extension of US 79.
History
Until 1944, US 79's northern terminus was in West Memphis, ArkansasWest Memphis, Arkansas
West Memphis is the largest city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 27,666 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 28,181 in 2005, and 31,329 in 2011 ranking it as the state's 11th largest city, behind Hot Springs...
. Even then, the route was diagonal enough that it could have been numbered odd or even. Until
1991, US 79's southern terminus was in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
Bannered and suffixed routes
- U.S. Route 79 Bypass in Humboldt, TennesseeHumboldt, TennesseeHumboldt is a city in Gibson and Madison counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 8,452 at the 2010 census, a decline of 1,015 in 2000. It is the principal city of and is included in the Humboldt, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Jackson,...
- U.S. Route 79 Business in Pine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff, ArkansasPine Bluff is the largest city and county seat of Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas Combined Statistical Area...
- U.S. Route 79 Business in Stuttgart, ArkansasStuttgart, ArkansasStuttgart is a city in and the county seat of the northern district of Arkansas County, Arkansas, United States. It is located on U.S. Route 79 about miles southeast of Little Rock. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 9,376.The town proclaims itself the "Rice...
- U.S. Route 79 Business in Altheimer, ArkansasAltheimer, ArkansasAltheimer is a city in Jefferson County, Arkansas, United States. Its population was 1,192 at the 2000 U.S. census. It is included in the 'Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area'.-Geography:Altheimer is located at ....
- U.S. Route 79 Business in Fordyce, ArkansasFordyce, ArkansasFordyce is a city in Dallas County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 4,799 at the 2000 census.The city is the county seat, home to the 1911 Dallas County Courthouse .-Geography:...
- U.S. Route 79 Business in Magnolia, ArkansasMagnolia, ArkansasMagnolia is a city in Columbia County, Arkansas, United States, that was founded in 1853. At the time of its incorporation in 1858, the city had a population of about 1,950. The city grew slowly as an agricultural and regional cotton market until the discovery of oil just east of the city in March,...
- U.S. Route 79 Business in Camden, ArkansasCamden, ArkansasCamden is a city in and the county seat of Ouachita County in the southern part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. Long an area of American Indians villages, the French also made a permanent settlement here because of its advantageous location above the Ouachita River. According to 2007 Census...
- U.S. Route 79 Business in Bearden, ArkansasBearden, ArkansasBearden is a city in Ouachita County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,125 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Camden Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Bearden is located at ....
- U.S. Route 79 Business in Camden, ArkansasCamden, ArkansasCamden is a city in and the county seat of Ouachita County in the southern part of the U.S. state of Arkansas. Long an area of American Indians villages, the French also made a permanent settlement here because of its advantageous location above the Ouachita River. According to 2007 Census...
- Business U.S. Highway 79-B in Taylor, TexasTaylor, TexasTaylor is a city in Williamson County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,575 at the 2000 census; it was 15,191 in the 2010 census estimate. Taylors largest employers include the Electric Reliability Council of Texas , Durcon Inc, and the T. Don Hutto Residential Center, an immigration...
- Business U.S. Highway 79-F in Henderson, TexasHenderson, TexasHenderson is a city in Rusk County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,273 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rusk County...
- Business U.S. Highway 79-G in Carthage, TexasCarthage, TexasCarthage is a city in Panola County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Panola County, and is situated in East Texas near the Louisiana state line.-Geography:...