Originally called The Hollows because mountains surround it, Mount Airy earned the nickname Granite City when the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railroad made removing granite from a nearby quarry economically feasible. That name might have stuck were it not for a plantation house named Mount Airy that served train travelers as an inn. Much later, a talented local boy found his way to Hollywood. Spinning stories about a town called Mayberry, Andy Griffith created a hometown we all want to come from.
Though Mount Airy has thoroughly embraced its alter ego, the town is more than just the mythical Mayberry. You’ll find good hiking, excellent mountain biking, fascinating local history, and loads of great mountain music. If you think you’ve seen all of North Carolina’s mountain towns but haven’t been to Mount Airy, it’s time to spend a weekend in one of the state’s most pleasant towns. And yes, in keeping with the Mayberry legend, the people really are super-friendly.
Where to Stay
Andy’s Homeplace (336-789-5999, 800-565-5249, or www.Andyshomeplace.com), Andy Griffith’s childhood home, is definitely the place for hard-core fans to stay. The Merritt House (336-786-2174, 877-786-2174, or www.bbonline.com/nc/merritthouse/), a Victorian bedand-breakfast, is just two blocks from downtown.
Where to Eat
Oh, yeah, you gotta visit the Snappy Lunch, a breakfast-and-lunch counter in business since 1923. It’s mentioned in one of the early episodes of The Andy Griffith Show. Located on Main Street next door to Floyd’s Barber Shop, it serves an incredible porkchop sandwich. Whether you take yours all the way (chop plus slaw, tomato, onions, mustard, and chili!) or not, you’ll agree that you’ve never had a sandwich like it before. Lookin’ for home cookin’? Try the Derby Restaurant. We’re talking scratch biscuits, collards, candied yams, and the like at this restaurant. For a meal with a New Orleans flair, try Midkiffs.
Golf
Cross Creek Country Club is open to weekend golfers; call 336-789-5131.
Heritage
Rockford Village and Rockford General Store are the remnants of a community that dates back to 1790. The general store sells old-fashioned candies, antique metal signs, ironware, quilts, and even chowchow, hoop cheese, and molasses. Rockford Methodist Church contains a fresco painted by Tony Griffin, a student of Ben Long. The double fireplaces and other remains of the Rockford Lodge (c. 1797) are impressive; Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Aaron Burr were among the guests who stayed at the lodge in years long past. To find Rockford, drive south from Mount Airy on U.S. 601 to the yellow blinking traffic light outside Dobson. Turn left (southeast) onto Rockford Road and travel 3.5 miles. Cross N.C. 268, go 0.7 mile, and turn right (east), staying on Rockford Road. After 1.6 miles, you’ll reach the Stony Knoll Fire Station. Continue on Rockford Road another four miles. The village is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. and Sunday from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M.
Kid Stuff
If the kids are along, Horne Creek Farm State Historic Site is a good place to spend an afternoon. The farm demonstrates what rural life in North Carolina in the early 1900s was like. It is located off U.S. 52 in Pinnacle, which is between Mount Airy and Winston-Salem. For information, call 336-325-2298 or visit www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/home/horne/horne.htm.
Museums
The Mount Airy Visitors Center houses the Andy Griffith Museum. You won’t believe all of the Andy memorabilia, including Otis’s suit. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. and Sunday from 11 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. For more information, call 800-576-0231 or 336-789-4636.
The Mount Airy Regional Museum, located just up the street from the visitor center, features exhibits on local history. You’ll enjoy the material related to Eng and Chang Bunker, the original Siamese twins, who made their home in Surry County. Be sure to visit the third-floor observation tower to see the mountains that surround Mount Airy. The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. and Saturday from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. An admission fee is charged. For more information, call 336-786-4478.
The Gertrude Smith House, built in 1903, is also worth a look, especially for all of the stamped, brass cornice boards inside, one of Smith’s decorating trademarks. It’s open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. For more information, call 800-576-0231 or 336-786-6856.
Music
The Surry Arts Council (SAC) sponsors free mountain-music jam sessions Thursday at the Andy Griffith Playhouse and Saturday at the downtown cinema. It also sponsors a live broadcast of WPAQ Radio’s Merry-Go-Round program on Saturday, plus the monthly Music Cinema Showcase and the monthly Blue Ridge Jamboree. And if that’s not enough, SAC sponsors community theater at the playhouse throughout the year. For more information, call 336-786-7998 or visit www.surryarts.org.
Outdoors
Hiking
Pilot Mountain State Park, off U.S. 52 South, offers moderate to strenuous hiking. Though you cannot hike or climb Pilot Mountain itself, don’t miss the view of the Winston-Salem skyline from the 0.8-mile Jomeokee Trail, which encircles the mountain. Trail maps are available from the park office. For more information, call 336-325-2355. Hanging Rock State Park, one of North Carolina’s best state parks, is near enough for a hiking excursion. Two trails to try are the 1.2-mile Hanging Rock Trail and the strenuous 4.2-mile Moore’s Wall Loop. For more information, call 336-593-8480. The website for both parks is http://www.ils.unc.edu/parkproject/.
Mountain Biking
About an hour north of Mount Airy is the New River Trail, one of Virginia’s premier rail trails. There are several access points to the trail, but most people agree that the Shot Tower access is best. Drive north on I-77 until signs direct you to Fosters Falls. There, you’ll find horse, canoe, and bicycle liveries. You can pick up the trail and pedal north or south. Wherever you join the trail, you’ll have outstanding views of the New River.
Picnicking
Cumberland Knob Recreation Area, the Blue Ridge Parkway’s first recreation area, has picnic tables, restrooms, a visitor center, and about three miles of trails. The 0.6-mile Cumberland Knob Trail is known for its flame azaleas, which bloom in May and June.
Road biking
If road cycling is more your style, you can pedal the Blue Ridge Parkway north from Cumberland Knob Recreation Area (Milepost 217.5) to Milepost 199 to enjoy one of the few nearly flat sections of the parkway.
Shopping
The Main-Oak Emporium (art, crafts, collectibles), the Meadows of Dan Trading Company (outdoor gear), and the Mount Airy Canning Company (jams, jellies, chowchow) are all located in downtown Mount Airy.
Wineries
Could it be that the rolling hills of the Yadkin Valley constitute the Napa Valley of the East? Go see for yourself! If you’re interested in North Carolina’s burgeoning wine industry, then perhaps a trip to Shelton Vineyards (336-366-4724; www.sheltonvineyards.com) or Black Wolf Vineyards (336-374-2532; www.blackwolfvineyards.com) is in order. Both are in Dobson.
Tidbits
Though the Old Mayberry Jail, the inspiration for Sheriff Taylor’s office on The Andy Griffith Show, doesn’t resemble the TV set at all, it is an interesting example of a 1900s-vintage jail. However, it’s difficult to believe that a town as friendly as Mount Airy ever needed bunk space for 12 criminals.
Bluegrass legend Tommy Jarrell, whose fiddle is in the Smithsonian, grew up just outside Mount Airy.
Andy Griffith and Tommy Jarrell aren’t the only famous people with local roots. Donna Fargo, best known for her country hit “Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.,” also hails from Mount Airy.
Other Points of Interest
You’ll notice that Mount Airy has a good many stone houses, churches, and municipal buildings. Why? Because the town sits adjacent to the world’s largest open-face granite quarry. If you’ve never seen an open-face quarry, allow 30 minutes to visit North Carolina Granite Corporation. The quarry is breathtaking in its magnitude, positively dwarfing the heavy machinery used to quarry the stone. The observation area is located on N.C. 103 just outside town.
Festivals/Events
More Resources
For information, contact the Mount Airy Visitors Center by calling 800-576-0231 or visiting www.visitmayberry.com.
For nearby activities, see the “Weekend in the Unspoiled Province” and “Weekend in Wachovia” chapters.