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Route History for US 3 in New Hampshire

• In 1926, the route US 3 now follows was numbered as NE 6. The road began near the First Connecticut Lake and continued to the Massachusetts state line. The road surface was dirt from its nothern end to Colebrook, improved (not paved) to Meredith, then paved to Massachusetts. Through Lakeport and Laconia, NE 6 followed what is now Business US 3. In Suncook, NE 6 followed Main Street and Pleasant Street. In Nashua, NE 6 followed the Daniel Webster Highway, Main Street, and the Daniel Webster Highway again to the Massachusetts state line.
• By 1928, the road had been renumbered US 3, and began in West Stewartstown. Most of the road south of Pittsburg had been paved, except through Franconia Notch State Park, where the road was still only improved. (Note: According to www.usends.com, US 3 originally began in Colebrook.)
• In 1931, US 3 was realigned away from Main and Pleasant streets in the Village of Suncook to the current alignment further east. The relocation required a new steel double deck road bridge to be constructed over the Suncook River, as well as a new railroad overpass constructed just south of there. For some explanation of the latter and supporting documents supplied by the NH Highway Dept, see Earl Tuson's Suncook Valley Railroad webpage. Thanks to Earl Tuson for this information.
• By 1941, US 3 had been extended to it current terminus at the Canadian border. The entire route had been paved in New Hampshire, except between the Canadian border and First Connecticut Lake where it was only improved.
• By 1961, I 93 had been completed between Boscawen and Manachester, and the Everett Highway had been completed between Manchester and Nashua, replacing US 3 as a major through route between Boscawen and Nashua.
• By 1963, the northernmost end of US 3 had been paved. In addition, I 93 had been extended north to Tilton, replacing US 3 as a major through route between Tilton and Nashua.
• By 1966, I 93 had been extended north to Plymouth, replacing US 3 as a major through route south of Plymouth.
• Between 1968 and 1970, US 3 had been rerouted to its current path around Laconia.
• By 1975, US 3 had been rerouted to its current path around Nashua.
• Between 1980 and 1996, I 93 had been extended north to Franconia Notch State Park, replacing US 3 as a major through route south of the Park.

Key to Abbreviations for Route Numbers:

• US - US Highway
• NE - New England Interstate Highway (Pre-dates US highway system)
• I - Interstate Highway (Eisenhower Interstate System)