Texas State Highway 44
State Highway 44 is a Texas state highway that runs from west of Encinal to Corpus Christi, Texas. This highway is also known as the Cesar Chavez Memorial Highway outside the city limits of Robstown, Banquete, Agua Dulce, Alice, and Corpus Christi in Nueces and Jim Wells counties.
History
SH 44 was originally proposed on April 24, 1919 as a connector route between Waco and Giddings. On July 16, 1923, the southern terminus extended south to La Grange. By 1926, construction was continuing on the highway, and SH 44 was concurrent with U.S. Highway 77. On July 15, 1935, SH 21 was rerouted concurrent with SH 44 from north of Giddings to Giddings. On November 24, 1936, this route had extended south to Hallettsville and another section from Victoria south via Sinton and Robstown to Alice was designated, creating a gap and replacing part of SH 72 and all of SH 128. On April 19, 1938, the section of SH 44 from SH 21 north of Giddings to Giddings was no longer concurrent with SH 21, because SH 21 was rerouted west of Lincoln. On July 15, 1938, the section from Hallettsville to Victoria was added, closing the gap. On September 26, 1939, the section north of Hallettsville was already part of US 77, the section from there to Victoria was changed to SH 295, the section from Victoria to Sinton was already part of US 77, and the section from Sinton to Robstown was reassigned as an extension of SH 96. The eastern terminus was shifted to Corpus Christi over part of SH 16. The western terminus was then extended to Freer on July 1, 1940. The section west of Freer approximately was Farm to Market Road 863 which traveled west to US 83 in Webb County, today's SH 44 terminus.On November 21, 1917, an intercounty highway was designated from Taylor to Hearne. A spur, SH 44A, was designated on July 20, 1920 along part of the intercounty highway from Taylor to Milano. On January 18, 1921, SH 44A became part of an extended SH 43A.
From 1948 to 1953, FM 863 went from Beaver Creek to the town of Hilda which became RM 648 and is now RM 783. FM 863 was designated over a new route and part of FM 133 from Encinal to Freer in 1953. Before 1955, FM 863 ended at the Webb–LaSalle county line. On January 22, 1958, FM 863 began to be signed, but not designated, as SH 44. On August 29, 1990, FM 863 was officially designated as SH 44, and FM 863 was cancelled.