North: Horton, KS
South: near Nortonville, KS
North: Craig, MO
South: Nortonville, KS
North: near Mound City, MO
US 159 was commissioned in 1940, and at first glance it might seem a little surprising that AASHO allowed it, considering that it was only 25 miles long, and entirely in one state. It provided a shortcut between US 59 at Nortonville and US 73 at Horton, without having to go through Atchison:
​At the time US 59's diagonal between Nortonville and Cummings had not yet been built. Instead, traffic went north from Nortonville on today's US 159, and then east on K-116. The opposite direction (west on K-116) was where US 159 began. This image was looking east on US 159/K-116. Today the two routes split here, with K-116 continuing due east to Cummings, while US 159 curves due south, reaching Nortonville in about three miles. This curve may not have been here in the 1940s; if not then the original junction would have been the 4-way intersection with Hamilton Road (ahead just over the hillcrest). Until about 1957, US 159 ended here. Straight ahead was northbound US 59, while southbound was to the right:
US 159's original northern terminus was at US 73 in Horton. This photo was looking south on Central Avenue. Today Central carries US 73-159, which both turn east (left) on 15th Street for one block before US 159 resumes southward again via 1st Avenue East. ​However, it seems likely that today's US 159 along 1st is a more recent realignment; during the 1940s US 159 probably began straight ahead on Central (which joins the current alignment of US 159 in about one mile):
It seems likely that the reason AASHO allowed a single-state US 159 into the US highway system was because there were already plans to extend the route into Nebraska and Missouri. Using the then-new Rulo Bridge over the Missouri River, drivers on US 59 (who were willing to bypass St. Joseph and Atchison) would be able to shave 15 miles off their route by using US 159. But apparently the roads leading to the bridge required improvement, because the extension did not happen for another five years. In 1945 US 159 was extended north with US 73 for 29 miles, through Hiawatha KS to Falls City NE (which remains the case today). From there the route heads east, crosses the Missouri River, and enters the state of the same name. But just shy of Fortescue, US 159 formerly went north on what is now MO hwy. 111, and its terminus was at US 59 in Craig:
Even after that extension, US 159 was still only 82 miles long, and over one-third of its length was concurrent with US 73. So it seems like US 59 Alternate would have been a more apt designation. However, US 159 gained a distinction: it is the shortest US route that serves three states. Here we are looking south on US 59:
Google Maps Street View, Aug. 2013
Modern Spur 111 swings out and bypasses town one block to the east. It is unclear when that segment was built, or whether US 159 ever used it. So to the right on Gates Street (the block before Spur 111) may have been the Missouri's original north beginning of US 159. Signage at the next block looks like this:
Sanderson, Oct. 2002
To the right was likely another historic north beginning of US 159. Here we are looking north on Spur 111:
The green sign in the middleground is at US 59 (it runs east-west at this point; northbound is to the left). I-29 is in the distance, at the foot of the bluffs in the background. Mainline MO 111 splits off to the left about a half-mile behind the camera; the segment that continues due north from there is designated "Spur 111". Assuming that bypass was built before 1974, that is where US 159 ended.
​It was about 1957 when US 59 was rerouted to its current path between Nortonville and Cummings. So the south end of US 159 was extended down former US 59 to its present terminus in Nortonville. At Walnut Street, traffic is directed east, and then the last southbound US 159 marker is posted:
That was posted just shy of US 159's terminus, where the route ends at its junction with US 59. The sign assembly visible in the background is shown close-up here:
Morrison, Apr. 2017
That was looking east at the spot where Walnut ends at US 59. The town of Nortonville is about a half-mile behind the camera. These perspectives were from northbound US 59, at the south beginning of US 159:
Drivers turning left there immediately encounter the first northbound US 159 trailblazer:
In about 1974 the north end of US 159 was changed to its present configuration: now it continues eastward past Fortescue, meets I-29 at interchange 79, and ends at US 59 about three miles east of there. In other words, US 159 ends about nine miles southeast of Mound City. These photos were looking east at the north end of US 159; US 59 is the crossroad:
Prusia, Jan. 2003
Kennedy, 1999
Morrison, June 2014
Heading south on US 59 between Oregon and Mound City, this photo shows the signage one sees at the north beginning of US 159...
...and this shot was taken looking the opposite direction:
If a traveler turns to the west, will immediately encounter the first confirming sign for southbound US 159:
The interchange with I-29 is about three miles ahead.
Because US 159's northern terminus was moved to this new location, the route has lost its functionality as a shortcut between its endpoints on US 59. Actually, the most efficient route between Mound City and Nortonville involves I-29 and I-229 now. If one were to avoid the interstates and stay on US 59 the whole way, the distance would increase by nine miles. But if instead one were to use US 159 the whole way, the distance would increase by an additional seven miles (for a total of 16). So very few travelers would have a reason to drive US 159 from end to end anymore, and as a result the route has only very localized importance. And unfortunately, one can no longer even enjoy a drive over the beautiful original Rulo Bridge: it was demolished in 2014, after its non-descript replacement opened to traffic in 2013.
Research and/or photo credits: Nathan Edgars; Richie Kennedy; Jeff Morrison; Ben Prusia; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa