 In 1940, the highway was rerouted south of Cherokee, replacing NC 107E; it then went concurrently with US 19 (now US 74/US 441) and Haywood Road (SR 1514) to Dillsboro and Sylva (now US 23 Bus).From Sylva, it replaced all of NC 106 south, through Cullowhee and Cashiers, to the South Carolina state line.The old route between Ela to Cherokee became part of NC 28 (now US 19).