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Mt. Airy NC

Finding Mayberry Part 3

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When I think of Mayberry the first thing I think of is  The Andy Griffith Show.  This statue is probably the most iconic site to see in Mt. Airy for many.  It’s funny I have passed this statue many times and I would say 90% of the time there is at least 1 or 2 people standing beside of Andy and Opie and someone is taking their picture.  Many of us grew up watching this show.  Its simple message and the hilarious antics of Barney Fife (Don Knotts)  made for some wonderful entertainment for many and it still does to this day.  I guess the old saying still applies “They just don’t make things like they used to”.

Andy Griffith was born in Mt. Airy, NC  on June 1, 1926 and attended Mt. Airy High School.  This is how  Mt. Airy, NC became known as Mayberry in The Andy Griffith Show. There are references to Mt Pilot in the show, which is actually the town of Pilot Mountain, NC about 12 miles down the road.   When you come to visit Mt. Airy, be sure to visit the  Andy Griffith Museum it has a lot of history on Andy Griffith along with memorabilia from The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock.  There is a $6.00 admission charge.

Mayberry Days is a great festival to attend for all things Mayberry.  There have been some very notable stars from the TV show or with ties to the show in attendance.  Thelma Lou, The Darlings, and Karen Knotts, daughter of Don Knotts (Barney Fife) to name a few. So for a fun weekend, this would be a great time to visit the town of Mt. Airy, NC

There are many hotels, bed and breakfast and campgrounds in the area to accommodate you and your family during your stay.  For more information Lodging in and around “Mayberry” has some wonderful choices for accommodations.

I hope this information has been helpful to those who are trying to find Mayberry and once they leave hopefully they leave feeling as though they have.

 

 

 

 

Finding Mayberry Part 2

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The Earle Theater was built in 1938 by Earl Q. Benbow and Percy A. Boone.  A lot of history comes with this theater that is located in downtown Mt. Airy, NC  It  was chosen as a site to premier Gone With The Wind simultaneously  with the showing in Atlanta, Ga.  It operated as a movie theater until it closed in 1985.  In 1990, Carmike donated the building to The Surry Arts Council.  The theater underwent some much needed improvements and reopened under it’s original name The Earle Theater showing $1.00 movies.  The Old Time Music Heritage Hall moved in, in September of 2011 and is still there today.  Every Saturday you will find various bluegrass musicians playing at the Earle.  It’s a wonderful place to watch a movie or see some great local bluegrass musicians.  Recently they have had some notable bluegrass musicians come to the Earle to play.   In February my husband and I are going to see The Earls of Leicester here at the Earle.

The radio station WPAQ 740 AM broadcasts their weekly show form the Earle.  It is the second longest running live radio show, The Grand Ole Opry being the first. The live show begins at 11:00 a.m. and ends at 1:30 every Saturday.  There is a $6.00 admission charge or free with a Surry Arts Council season pass or a $20.00 merry- go-round annual pass.  There are local jam sessions after the live radio show on Saturday and on Thursday at 7:00.  The jam sessions on Thursdays are free.  I often see bluegrass players in front of the Earle on Saturday practicing for their time on stage. You may find more information at Surry County Music.com.

The downtown area has a lot of great shops to explore.  There is still a hardware store here along with several clothing stores, some wonderful antique stores, a candy store,  a few book store/coffee shops, a couple of fabric stores, a toy store, a few furniture stores and several gift stores.  There is plenty of public parking to be found on the main street or in the public parking areas that are close by.  For the history buffs, The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History also located on N. Main Street is another great place to visit while you are here.  .  My mother-in-law often talks about the stores that used to be on main street where they were located and what is there now in their place.  It seems a lot has changed for the downtown area.  Hopefully it will continue to thrive and will  bring many visitors to this area so they may find  “Mayberry” too.  To be Continued…….

Finding Mayberry Part 1

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Yesterday, my son and I went to town.  For as long as I can remember that is always the way traveling into a city or town has been referred to by my family, “Going to Town”.  This is not just any town but the epitome of small town USA.  Mayberry or Mt. Airy, NC as it is actually known.  My husband is from Mt. Airy and we visit often.  I have seen it change a lot in the past few years.  It seems there are more and more visitors that are trying to find Mayberry.  We often see Tour buses and many out of state license plates.   Mt. Airy has a lot to offer visitors.  The picture above is of a vintage squad car that you can actually take a tour in.  For more information contact them at Tour Mayberry.com  Their website also has a lot of great information about Mt. Airy.  You will start your tour at Wally’s, so please visit inside where you will find lots to see.

Another great spot is the downtown visitor’s center.  Here you will find a lot of information about Mt. Airy and also the surrounding area.  There are so many  wonderful things to see and do in and around this area. There are many kind folks inside who would love to help you if you have any questions about Mt. Airy.

One of my favorite local places to eat is next door to the visitor’s center.  It is Barney’s Cafe.  Here you will find the charm of a small town restaurant with a menu that speaks home cooking.  They have several specials during the day and some of the best desserts that you will put in your mouth.  They are not open for supper so be sure and visit them for breakfast or lunch.  There are several other wonderful restaurants in the downtown area,  including the famous Snappy Lunch, where you can try the local favorite;  Pork Chop Sandwich or  Ground Steak Sandwich. The Snappy Lunch is also not open for supper, so you may try some of the other wonderful restaurants in and around town for your evening meal.

 

Mt. Airy has several events and festivals throughout the year.  It seems there is always something to do here.  There is Mayberry Days which is in September  and the Autumn Leaves festival in October.  Farm Fest in May is also another great festival.  Not to mention all of the music festivals that happen here and nearby.  This area is filled with so much bluegrass music and bluegrass festivals that it would actually deserve it’s own post.  If you are into bluegrass this is surely a place to come.

I think I will break  this post into a two part series or maybe three so please come back to see more of what Mt. Airy has to offer.  To be continued…..