When Pennsylvania first legislated routes in 1911, what is now PA 447 was not given a route number. In 1928, the road between US 209 (now US 209 Bus.) in East Stroudsburg and PA 90 (now PA 191) south of Analomink was designated PA 190, the road between PA 90 in Analomink and PA 390 in Canadensis was designated PA 290, and the roadway between Canadensis and PA 90/PA 507 in Newfoundland was the northern section of PA 390. At this time, these segments were unpaved except for a small portion of PA 290 south of Canadensis and the section of PA 90 between PA 190 and PA 290. By 1930, the entire length of PA 190 was paved along with a section of PA 390 south of Newfoundland. In the 1930s, PA 390 was realigned north of Canadensis and PA 290 was extended north along the former alignment of PA 390 to end at PA 90/PA 507 in Newfoundland. By this time, the entire length of PA 290 was paved.
