 NC 11 was established in 1921 as an original state highway, traveling northeasterly from NC 40, in Kenansville, to NC 10, in Kinston; then continuing north, through Greenville, to NC 90, in Bethel.Around 1930, NC 11 was extend north on new primary routing to NC 125, in Oak City, via Hassell.In 1940, NC 11 was extended south from Kenansville to Tin City, replacing part of US 117; then with a short concurrency with US 117, it travels to the North Carolina Coastal Experimental Station (agriculture testing facility), replacing NC 401.