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 (US 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 (which was reassigned to the portion of SH 72 that was disconnected due to SH 44). 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 (already under construction as a lateral road) 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 (FM 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. ==Future==