On its south end, Route 12 was originally designated to form a "V" by heading southwest from Saline to Chestnut then turn sharply to the northwest to a terminus at Ashland. There was no improved route between Chestnut and Creston at this time. However, a gravel road between these points was established by 1927, and Route 12 was changed accordingly by an act of the state legislature. Graveling of the remainder of the distance to the Arkansas state line north of Haynesville was completed about the same time. Otherwise, the route remained largely the same prior to the 1955 renumbering with the exception of some minor straightening, such as a zigzag at Readhimer. The route through the town of Arcadia was also simplified somewhat. The original route turned west from Hazel Street onto 2nd Street, then north on Myrtle Street, west on 3rd Street, north on Beech Street, and west on 6th Street. By 1955, two turns had been eliminated as the route now followed Hazel, 1st, Beech, and 6th Streets. Remnants of these earlier paths through town survive today in the state highway system as parts of LA 519, LA 798-1, and LA 798-2.