Traveling to Mount Airy’s Mayberry
A Town Fueled on Nostalgia
Classic Mainstreet USA is now nothing more than a novelty. Throughout the United States, you can find once-proud small towns which had built themselves around a single industry fall into ruin. Others have been able to revive and sustain life in their communities by acting as a living museum. Families will escape suburbia for a weekend and walk the streets of a now bygone America.
There are tons of small towns boasting classic mid-20th-century architecture around North Carolina, but is that enough to save their once lively businesses from being boarded up?
Mount Airy, North Carolina is located a stone’s throw away from both the border of Virginia and the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is not Mount Airy’s location, local history, or bluegrass which has saved it from becoming a ghost town, but the legacy of the late movie star Andy Griffth.
Looking to see more on the Blue Ridge Parkway? Check out Cherokee, North Carolina!
Malt Shops and Diners
All of the storefronts of Mount Airy reminds one of a time when you could walk down the street and greet everyone by name. Today the town strikes an odd balance between being local, milking tourists at boutique shops, and catering to Andy Griffith fans.
The entire town tries to embody the spirit of Mayberry, the fictional town from the 1950s hit The Andy Griffith Show. Although filmed in Hollywood, star Andy Griffith cited his hometown of Mount Airy as the inspiration for Mayberry. In turn, Mount Airy has worked tirelessly to maintain a vintage feel and even incorporate aspects of the TV show into the town.
From the cliche malt shops to Andy Giffith’s favorite diner: Snappy Lunch, the town is bursting from the seams with half a century old relics and memorabilia.
Looking for other small towns in North Carolina? Check out Lexington and its famous BBQ festival!
Reliving The Mayberry Days
No amount of local history or natural beauty could attract the number of tourists that Andy Griffith brings into Mount Airy. Old-timey shops have been renamed after characters from the TV show and even replica sets have sprung up around the town. For many, this is a chance for them to relive their childhood. Much like a millennial would visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, baby boomer’s have Mayberry.
Scenes such as the old courthouse, Wally’s Service Station, and classic car rides can be found throughout the town. When walking down Mainstreet it is hard to miss the classic black and white Ford Galaxie police cars which come clunking down the road. These squad car tours are all one needs to further complete the illusion of going back in time 70 years and stepping through their TV sets.
Wanting abandoned ghost towns in North Carolina? Read about Henry River Mill Village here!
Stepping In Front of the Camera
The one place in Mount Airy that will leave you longing for a simpler time is the Mayberry Courthouse. Out of all the other mock sets and novelty store signs, the courthouse is where you are truly taken back to sitting on the carpet as a kid, eyes glued on the black and white television screen.
Even though the television set is a complete replica down to the smallest detail, there is a sense of emptiness. For many of us, traveling to places such as Mayberry is a chance to walk down memory lane. Unfortunately, these memories will always remain in the past.
For a city such as Mount Airy, they can try and stir up feelings of nostalgia with their Andy Griffth memorials and yearly Mayberry Day parades, but the memories will slowly die with those who keep them. There will come a time when no one knows Andy Griffth, and this is something Mount Airy will have to prepare for.
Wanting more small towns and local food? Check you Hemingway, South Carolina!
Keeping Mayberry Afloat
It is evident to everyone that passes through Mount Airy that the legacy of Andy Griffth won’t last forever. Over the years, the town has had to add wheelchair ramps and cater to the show’s aging fans. The only young people who can be found in Mayberry are those that watched the show growing up with their (great) grandparents or those forced to pay homage to the star with their families.
In several decades, places such as the Andy Griffith Musem and the homeplace of the famed actor will fail to bring in the crowds it does now. The town has made efforts to include others on their roster of famous people such as the Siamese Twins Chang & Eng as well as country singer Donna Fargo, but this is hardly enough to keep van loads of tourists arriving from across the east coast.
For the time being, you can either feel like you are stepping back in time or walking onto a scene of the timeless television show in Mount Airy. While you will find tons to do in Mayberry, there is always a sense that they are playing off of your nostalgia. One can only hope that the history and charm of this town will last for years to come and won’t be left as a remnant of the past.
