North Carolina Highway 7
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| NC 7 |
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| Length: | 12 mi (19 km) | ||||||||
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| Formed: | 1932 | ||||||||
| West end: |  US 321 (Chester/York Streets) in Gastonia, NC |
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| Major junctions: |
 I-85 in Gastonia; I-85 in Lowell/McAdenville; I-85 in western Belmont;  US 29/74 in western Belmont |
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| East end: | US 29/74 in eastern Belmont, NC |
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| Counties: | Gaston | ||||||||
| Major cities: | Ranlo, Lowell, McAdenville | ||||||||
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NC 7 is a twelve-mile (19 km) North Carolina state highway. It is possibly the most confusing in the state to follow. During its stretch, entirely in Gaston County, NC 7 switches roads and merges many times. Its main purpose is to connect eastern Gaston County municipalities with the county seat of Gastonia.
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[edit] Route description
[edit] Gastonia, Ranlo, and Lowell
NC 7's western terminus is at US 321, just north of downtown Gastonia. US 321 at this point is divided onto two roads: North Chester Street and North York Street. NC 7 is also known as Ozark Avenue in the city of Gastonia. Traveling in a northeasterly direction, NC 7 crosses I-85 for the first time and shortly after, intersects with NC 279. After crossing Spencer Mountain Road into the town of Ranlo, NC 7 becomes the aptly named Lowell Road since the next town NC 7 enters is Lowell. Once inside the Lowell town limits, NC 7 is also known as West First Street. In downtown Lowell, NC 7 turns left onto Main Street and quickly turns right onto Third Street, where NC 7 makes its second crossing of I-85 (exit 23).
[edit] McAdenville and ChristmasTown USA
Immediately after crossing I-85, NC 7 enters one of North Carolina's most famous cities: McAdenville. Every Christmas season, McAdenville residents deck nearly every square foot of the town with decorations; the event is known as ChristmasTown USA. During this time, NC 7 can become a traffic nightmare as tourists flock to McAdenville. Through this segment, NC 7 is known as Main Street. Immediately after crossing the South Fork Catawba River and leaving downtown McAdenville, NC 7 makes another turn, onto Riverside Drive, which is renamed McAdenville Road a half-mile down the road.
[edit] Cramerton and Belmont
After skirting the outskirts of Cramerton, NC 7 once again changes road. This time NC 7 moves right onto Old NC 273 in Belmont; exit ramps to another interchange with I-85 (exit 26) are found near this intersection. Oddly, NC 7 crosses US 29/74 and then loops around downtown Belmont, before going back to US 29/74, where it ends. Through town, NC 7 is known as Main Street, and then as Catawba Street. NC 7 and NC 273 do intersect in the center of downtown Belmont. Three quarters of a mile after this intersection, NC 7 comes to its eastern terminus.
[edit] History
- 1932 - NC 7 is born on its current alignment through Gaston County.
- 1934 - For a short time, NC 7 is longer. It runs further west of Gastonia, to Kings Mountain, North Carolina on today's US 29/74 and US 74 Business.
- 1939 - US 29/74 is rerouted to make a straight run from Kings Mountain to Gastonia, and NC 7's length is moved back to what it was in 1932.
