The Old Dixie Highway, one of America's first signed highways was soon replaced with U.S. 19 and U.S. 41 and later the interstates. Nevertheless, much is still in tact today in many places, though road modernization, closure of old establishments and suburban sprawl have taken their toll on it. In Georgia, most sections of the highway replaced by newer alignments remained state maintained into the 1980's, though now far less actually remain under state control today. What is today S.R. 293 follows two sections of the Old Dixie Highway including the mainline route from Emerson to south of Cassville and the Rome Loop route, which extends from south of Cassville to U.S. 27 (Turner McCall Boulevard) in Rome (1). Respectively, the portion from Emerson to Cassville is the original alignment of U.S. 41 while the portion along the Rome Loop was formerly U.S. 411 and originally U.S. 41W. Starting in Emerson and ending in Rome, S.R. 293 stretches 28 miles beginning at U.S. 41 and running west of U.S. 41 through Downtown Cartersville before turning west from north of where it passes under, but does not connect, modern U.S. 411. From there, the route continues through Kingston to Rome where it ends at U.S. 27. S.R. 293 has in many places a rather complicated route. In Emerson, it begins at a primitive interchange with four-lane U.S. 41 (Joe Frank Harris Parkway) and follows a northwesterly direction, following the railroad tracks before passing under them at the Cartersville city limits. Curiously, even though S.R. 293 is less than a mile from I-75, it does not connect to it. In Cartersville, S.R. 293 has a very complicated route, S.R. 293 switches directions four times entering the city on S. Tennessee St. Approaching Main Street (S.R. 61/113), S.R. 293 turns west overlapping the two other highways 0.4 miles before leaving Main St. S.R. 293 is then independent again, going north on N. Bartow Street a block. Then, the highway once again turns west on West Cherokee Avenue before finally turning back north along Cassville Road. On Cassville Road, S.R. 293 is once again following the railroad tracks to the west passing through the Atco community on its course back to rejoin U.S. 41 north of Cartersville. However, S.R. 293 itself does not quite rejoin U.S. 41, instead employing S.R. 293 Connector to cover the remainder of Old U.S. 41 back to rejoin U.S. 41 just south of Cassville. S.R. 293 itself instead turns west to follow Old U.S. 411 instead of Old U.S. 41 and changes names to Kingston Highway. While a more urban route in Cartersville, Kingston Highway is very rural between Cartersville and Rome with only one incorporated town, Kingston. It is also the longest portion of the highway. When the highway enters Rome, S.R. 293 again becomes urban and widens to a four-lane divided highway west of S.R. 1 Loop, the belt route around the city, up to its western terminus at U.S. 27. S.R. 293 today likely will not remain a state highway tomorrow. It has been significantly truncated from its origins, which took it all the way to Kennesaw. The Cartersville portion remains in order to replace two aging, dangerous railroad tunnels while the Rome portion will likely fall to a mileage swap if or when the rest of S.R. 1 Loop is completed. While it is a highway with much history, it is largely a road used for local travel or as a scenic alternative to congested U.S. 41 and dull U.S. 411. S.R. 293 HISTORY AND BANNER ROUTES PHOTO GALLERY
TERMINI PHOTO GALLERY Southern Terminus: U.S. 41/S.R. 3 in Emerson.
Northern Terminus: U.S. 27/S.R. 1/S.R. 20 (Turner McCall Bvld.) in Rome
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