Mount Airy, NC - Andy Griffith's "Mayberry"

September 16 - Happy Birthday Dad!

We made the short drive to Mount Airy where it felt like we took a step back in time when it was a softer gentler time. Andy Griffith grew up here and many feel that Mount Airy was the inspiration for the fictional Mayberry. The town is definitely proud of their most famous resident.

 Gobber says Hey!

 bottle of "pop" anyone?

me in front of the squad car

They do tours of the town in the squad cars. 

 those were the days.....

 maybe Emmett's Fixx-it Shoppe should start with their back tire....

the Darling's truck

Greg behind bars

 Otis' cell

 Otis' cell had a TV

 I'm the Justice of the Peace

 the Darling's still & cabin

 theater

 Our next stop was the Andy Griffith Museum.

The museum displayed all of his work, not just Mayberry  

 Andy's uniform 

 Barney's salt & pepper suit

 Goober's uniform & beanie

 Otis' suit

 Floyd's Barbershop

the keys to the jail cells

 Mount Airy was also famous for the first Siamese Twins, Chang & Eng. They were from Siam (now Thailand) so conjoined twins were known as "Siamese Twins"

 There was also a room for Thelma Lou

 one room had a mural painted on the walls - Greg next to Andy

 me next to Goober (acting like a goober)

 Greg getting kissed by Thelma Lou

 Greg next to the still

It was time for lunch and we headed to the iconic Snappy Lunch. Andy ate there as a child and it was featured in at least one of the episodes. We both had the Famous Pork Chop Sandwich – All The Way - That’s with coleslaw, mustard, chili, onion, and tomato. The meat is three and a half ounces of pork tenderloin, sliced down the back, bathed in a sweet-milk batter, and fried for 10 minutes or so on a griddle by a big front window for everyone to see. It was messy, but good! 

 lunch is served.....

We then went to the Earle theater where we listened to a live radio show being performed. It was a family performing Blue Grass. 

announcer on the radio

We then wandered the historic Main Street

 Opie's Candy Shop

they also do carriage tours

This particular Sunday there was a vintage car show along Main Street as well.

 Trinity Episcopal Church

it's apple season

There was also a display of Guitar art along Main Street.

It was time for an afternoon snack so we headed to the Hillbilly Ice Cream Shop. They are known to offer ice cream made with moonshine. 

 Greg had the Hillbilly Mudslide

 I had the Trailer Trash (is that fitting?)

 We were torn between the Pie Shop or the Ice Cream, so we had the ice cream, but got 2 mini pies to bring home. They also have some pies made with moonshine, but we had ours virgin. The chocolate one was lack-luster, but the Mayberry Tourist (apple pie with streusel topping) was very good.

Our next stop was to see Aunt Bea's room at a hotel. It's a shrine to her memory.

Our last stop was to see Andy Griffith's boyhood home.

 His home is now rented out as a B&B

 Mount Airy water tower with the iconic opening scene of Mayberry with Andy & Opie

 It was a fun day and we learned a lot about his life. The most interesting was that before becoming an actor he was studying to be a Moravian minister. 

Tomorrow, we are driving a portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway.