U.S. Route 76 in Georgia

The road that would eventually be designated as US 76 was established at least as early as 1919 as part of SR 3 from the Tennessee state line to Dalton, and SR 2 from Dalton to Clayton, and possibly farther to the east.[5] Georgia's 1921 state map didn't show the Chatsworth–Blairsville segment of SR 2. However, it did show SR 2 on a proposed path from Clayton to Pine Mountain. It also showed SR 65 proposed along the current path of SR 28 from Pine Mountain to the South Carolina state line.[5][6] By the end of 1926, SR 2 was paved from Blue Ridge to a point about halfway between there and Blairsville. Also, the proposed section, east of Clayton, was removed from the map[6][7]

By the beginning of 1932, SR 3 was paved from the Tennessee state line to Dalton. US 41 was established along this segment. SR 2 was paved from Blairsville to Hiawassee. SR 2 was built from Chatsworth to Ellijay. SR 5 was designated along the Ellijay–Blue Ridge segment.[8][9] In January, SR 2/SR 5 were paved from about Cherry Log to Blue Ridge.[9][10] By August, SR 2 was built from Clayton to the South Carolina state line on its current alignment.[11][12] By January 1935, US 76 was designated along SR 2 from Chatsworth to Blairsville and from just east of Hiawassee to Clayton. It is unclear if US 76 was designated between Blairsville and the Hiawassee area or east of Clayton.[13][14] Between July and October, US 76/SR 2/SR 5 were paved from Ellijay to Cherry Log.[15][16] By October 1936, US 76/SR 2 were paved from Dalton to Chatsworth.[17][18] At the end of the year, there were two small sections of US 76/SR 2 just west of Blairsville and just west of Clayton, that were paved.[18][19] By the middle of January 1938, a very small section, in the vicinity of Lake Burton, was paved.[20][21] The middle of the next year had the section of US 76/SR 2 from the Fannin–Union county line to Blairsville was paved.[22][23] Later that year, a small section of US 76/SR 2, from just east of Lake Burton to Clayton, was paved.[23][24]

In the beginning of 1940, the paved section near Lake Burton was expanded slightly.[25][26] By October, US 76/SR 2 were paved from east of the location of the current SR 197 intersection to Clayton.[26][27] At the end of the year, US 76/SR 2 were paved from Hiawassee to the approximate location of where the Appalachian Trail crosses the highway today.[27][28] In 1946, US 76 was designated along SR 2 from Dalton to Chatsworth.[29][30] By the middle of 1948, SR 2 was paved from Clayton to about halfway between there and the South Carolina state line.[30][31] The beginning of the next year found US 76 was designated along the section of SR 3 from Ringgold to Dalton. SR 2 was moved to an alignment near the Tennessee state line, traveling through modern-day Varnell and Crandall. SR 52 took its place between Dalton and Ellijay (it already was concurrent with SR 3 from the Ringgold area to Dalton and SR 5 from Ellijay to Blue Ridge). The entire section of US 76/SR 52, from Chatsworth to Ellijay, was paved.[31][32]

US Route 76 in Whitfield County, Georgia

By the end of 1950, US 76/SR 2 were paved from Hiawassee to just east of the Towns–Rabun county line. Also, SR 2 was paved from Clayton to the South Carolina state line.[32][33] By the middle of 1954, the entire length of roadway, from Tennessee to South Carolina, was paved.[34][35] 1957 found SR 282 built along the current path of US 76, but only from the Murray–Gilmer county line to Ellijay.[36][37] By 1966, US 76 was designated along US 41/SR 3 from Tennessee to Dalton.[38][39] In 1969, SR 282 was extended west to an intersection with US 411/SR 61 southeast of Ramhurst.[40][41] In 1971, US 76/SR 52 were rerouted west of Chatsworth. Before, they bypassed Spring Place. Northwest of the town, they were routed south into town and entered Chatsworth farther south than it previously did. The former route was redesignated as SR 52 Connector.[42][43] In 1981, US 76 was rerouted between Chatsworth and Ellijay. In Chatsworth, US 76 turned south-southeast, along US 411/SR 61. In Ramhurst, it turned east onto a slightly re-routed SR 282 and followed that route to Ellijay.[44][45] In 1987, US 76/SR 2 between Hemp and Blairsville was routed on a farther-north, and more direct, path.[46][47] In 1989, SR 515 was signed along US 76 from East Ellijay to northeast of Young Harris, as it is today.[48][49]