The road was named for Alabama politician John H. Bankhead, a leader in the early national road-building movement.

In later years, several stretches of U.S. Route 78 in northwest Alabama were renamed for Bankhead's son, former U.S. Representative and Speaker of the House William B.

Continuing as former US 80, it followed through Gila Bend and smaller towns on the west side of Phoenix.

The purpose of this designation is to supplement the Texas Historical Commission's existing "heritage tourism" programs and to increase interest in the Bankhead Highway.

From Fort Worth, the route left former US 80 and went through Garland and Texarkana before crossing into Arkansas.

The route went through eastern New Mexico, first at Alamogordo on US 54, then through Roswell and then Clovis before entering Texas at El Paso.

At Hot Springs, travelers were given two options (alternate routes were common on auto trails).

The Bankhead Highway (older US 29 alignment) veered onto Church Street (Georgia SR 8) and following it until it intersected Ponce De Leon Avenue.

Following Marietta Street, it veered off to the west where a bridge (now closed but still standing) carried the highway over Georgia Southern Railroad tracks to the present Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway.

One notable exception to this rule is the Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway in the Bankhead neighborhood of Atlanta.

US 29 passed through the city of Greenville on Wade Hampton Boulevard and Church Street.

The Bankhead Highway was marked by a pole marker that was white with yellow stripes on the top and bottom and the letters "BH" in black.