Its eastern terminus is at SR 218 about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the hamlet of Mercerville.

No portion of SR 790 is included within the National Highway System, a system of highways that are deemed most important for the country's economy, defense and mobility.

When first designated, it was an L-shaped route that began at SR 217 in Scottown, followed today's Lawrence County Road 37 northerly up to Lecta, ran concurrent with SR 775 northerly for one block, then turned east to follow its current alignment to SR 218 near Mercerville.

[3][4] By 1955, the official state transportation map indicated that jurisdiction of the stretch of SR 790 from Scottown to Lecta had been transferred to Lawrence County, and the highway took on the look that it does today.

No other major changes have taken place to the routing of SR 790 since that time.