Yesterday we went into Mt Airy, the birthplace of Andy Griffith and the fictional setting for Mayberry. There is really only about a 1/2 mile stretch that is all original to the town and is mostly about Mayberry. It is cool .We first went to the visitor center, where we got information and booked a squad car tour through the town. We then went to Wally’s service station to take the tour. The building is the original filling station with the pumps and inside was the original store. Here we see Melissa getting ready to go pay for the gas.

There are four of Barneys squad cars for tours. None of which are original, they were only used for one season and after that season new models were given to the show. The older models were taken back by Ford Motor company, re painted and then sold to the public, so no one knows where all the original cars went. The four cars for tours are a 1961, 62,63,and 64 models. Melissa hoped in the front seat and I was the fugitive captured in the back. The tour went first to the largest open pit granite mine in the world, who knew. It is only 70 feet deep and has been hauling out granite slabs for everything from buildings, bridges to curbing used in upstate New York as it will not corrode in the salt. Again who knew, pretty neat.

Then we went to tour the town itself, a lot of buildings made of the granite from the granite mine. The tour guide has been giving tours for 11 years, he knew his stuff. When ever someone was in his way he would hit the Siren and say in Barney”s voice “citizen’s arrest” It was fun, we also saw the birthplace of Andy Griffith , very small house. It is now a B&B.

The tour lasted about a half an hour and then we returned to Wally’s service station, where the guide told us a few facts about the show. first Andy and Aunt Bee disliked each other very much ,she was on broad way for years and when she got the role for Aunt Bee, it was television and she had different ideas about things. Also Floyd the barber after the third season had a series of strokes, and Andy liked him so much he still wanted him in the show, so after the third season you never see Floyd standing up, he is always sitting down or leaning against something. Who knew. Then we took a few pictures of the recreated spots from the show.

My new ride, needs a little fixin though.

Otis’s jail cell.

Melissa makes a good judge

A new sheriff is in town. Someone actually asked me if I worked there while I was in the chair??

It was a very good time, we also went to the Andy Griffith museum to see all that and that also was very interesting. Overall a good time.