 While the eastern half of the route was an upgrade of existing secondary road, the western half was formerly part of NC 80.North Carolina Highway 26A (NC 26A) was established around 1947 after NC 26 was rerouted on the more direct route between Woodlawn and Gillespie Gap, through the Cox Creek valley.In 1961, NC 26A was renumbered to NC 226A, in lockstep with NC 226; justification for change was to avoid confusion with I-26.