Andy Griffith was my 3rd cousin. His mother and my great grandmother were sisters. I grew up hearing stories from my mom and her mother (my grandma) about Andy and his family. Andy was my mom's second cousin and my grandma's 1st cousin. My grandma had many pictures of Andy and his family especially many of Andy when he was a kid and his school pictures. Andy and his mom were one of the first family members to hold me when I was born and I was brought home from the hospital. My dad had recently joined the Navy and was on a round the world cruise so my mom was staying with her parents. Otis Campbell and his wife were based on my grandparents. My grandma was 4'10" and weighed 87lbs. She was a very religious woman. Her husband, my grandpa weighed a bit over 300 lbs and was known as the town drunk. They were married until my grandpa passed away, still an alcoholic and my grandma never missed a church service until her death many years later. Glad u enjoyed my hometown.
Man man I love Andy Griffith show used to watch it as a kid every day I watch it all the way to my ears 51 years old I’m 62 and still love watching a show
Bluebird Diner had THE BEST onion rings years ago. I have so many connections to this show. My uncle went to school with Andy. The house Aunt Bee bought (in what's called Mortgage Hills in Siler City) belonged to the doctor my mom loved to death for many years. He delivered my sister. My mom and stepdad are buried in the same cemetery as Aunt Bee. A few family members live across the street. I still live not too far away. Once a Tar Heel, always a Tar Heel. 😊
I'm 73, I watched it back then, and I still watch it too this day along with many other's in the 50s,60s still in BW. It is nice to see that there actually was a Mayberry NC. 👍🇺🇸 24:18
Remember the young man who sped through town and was arrested. He told Barney, you folks don't know how to swing. Barney said, sure we do. We just don't use them at night. 😂
Respectfully, from someone who's father's side of the family is from Mt. Airy, Mayberry is a fictitious town made up by Andy Griffith who is in fact from Mt. Airy, NC.
I just watched the Andy Griffith show twice over from beginning to the end. I’m 68 and still love the show! If I have a chance I’d love to visit Mayberry! Outstanding video! Thank you for posting it!
That was a great show Miss it very much. All the characters were outstanding. My favorite was Barney and his one bullet. Never be a show like that ever again. Sad
@cathypennington8919 yes and no violence etc. Very laid back times. Never see that again. Things getting worse. Sad. Enjoy your weekend and stay safe. Thanks 😊
I grew watching The Andy Griffith Show and I still watch ii today, I laugh just as much now as I did then even though I can almost quote every line. Loved the video. Thanks !!!
I met Andy Griffith in Paso Robles California when I was 13 and when I became a truck driver late-in-life I drove through Mount Airy North Carolina many times.
Thank you all for posting this. I also love The Andy Griffith show.I am getting old and it looks like I'll never make It to Mount Pilot but this was nice of you to post and I felt like I was there. Thanks again. Very much.
Great video, great memories of really good television!! Still watch it several times a week and it's still good!! From an old Kentucky boy, thanks for sharing!!
My husband found your trip to Mayberry Mt airy NC...and we loved it..we live in bristol Va on the Virginia Tennessee line...thank you for sharing a delightful informative trip..I told my husband we needed to do this trip❤from a Indiana girl living on the Virginia Tennessee line
Great Vlog! First time viewer, like the background stories! When my mom worked at Universal Studios, in California, in the 1960's, sometimes I would go to work with her. One time, when I was about 10 years old, she said, "if you go to that black file cabinet, you can open it up and look through it, to pick out some autographed pictures that you like". One that I picked out, was of Andy Griffith. Unfortunately it is long lost, still wish that I had it. My mom had numerous personal interactions with Don Knotts, and said that "he was a prince of a man, and a wonderful human being".
Enjoyed the tour, we have stayed in Mt. Airy a few times on our way during vacation to the beach. It was nice to drive around and see all the memorable places of the Andy Griffith show, but never had enough time to really tour it on foot. Thanks for sharing a piece of what it was like in simpler times.
That was a great tour. In 2009 we were considering moving to Mt Airy. We looked at one of the red brick houses you passed in the squad car tour, and a house out at the old 1930s country club. We didn't have enough time to do the complete city tour. Floyd was a great story of loyalty and respect by producers to an actor. He wanted to remain on the show and they worked with his condition marvelously. Howard McNear wasn't the original Floyd. He started mid season 1, doing a similar portrayal in Leave it to Beaver. Walter Baldwin a retired movie character actor was the first Floyd the Barber. The running joke was every time Barney paid for his haircut he'd say "Here! Buy a book on barbering."
I hope you never get tired of hearing...THANK YOU! I've watched this, had friends over to watch and had a party to sit around and watch...while we drank moonshine from the still,HA!!!
THANK YOU - SO MUCH 👍👍 I had fun watching you two have fun - thank you for that. Andy was loved by MILLIONS.. My bucket list is to visit Mt. Airy , it will bring me peace and joy and a lot of fun... * Thank you both for sharing, I too could not leave Mt.Airy without purchasing a t- shirt. 👍
My wife and I are going on our first trip in our new travel trailer in two weeks someone told us we need to visit this place I was looking through u tube and look what found your video keep them coming thanks yall
We had an awesome time, I hope you have a wonderful time there, I just wish we could have stayed a little longer, thank you so much for watching my video.
I was born and raised in, Mount Airy I love it here. There's no place I'd rather be. Mayberry Motor Lodge, has all the, Frances Bavier memrobellia in one of the rooms and you can go and see it too. Mount Airy, truly is, Mayberry. Plus there's nothing tastier than a pork chop sandwich from, Snappy lunch.
I've been going through Virginia on i-81 since 1963 I just about know every inch of that interstate. You forgot to mention you were going down Fancy Gap mountain, an eight-mile drop into North Carolina. No big deal, except you can see Mount pilot, or I should say pilot mountain off to the left going South, but that part is i-77, Virginia is one of the most beautiful States in this country. By the way Mount pilot, or pilot mountain, used to have stairs going up to the top of it. I don't think they do now. It is on highway 52
We’ve been there many times, making it a resting point on our way to Myrtle Beach. We love it, especially during Mayberry Days. Hope you had a great time! May we always keep a little Mayberry in our hearts!
saw you started out in wise my whole family is from that area.I was born in norton but grew up in maryland. looks like you had a good time in N.C enjoyed your video.
Something funny, went there in June 2016 to hear beach music bands outside at a park. Took the Andy tour, saw his house, ate at pork chop sammich place. I live in Augusta, GA. Always hot and humid here. So I am thinking we will be in some mountains and the temperature will be cooler. Nope, it was actually 4 degrees hotter in Mt. Airy. The Saturday concert was so hot outside, even the band was miserable.
Great job been there to fuel up never went into the town when you are on the road point A to B not a lot of time to stop and check out the site's thanks again very professional 💯🇺🇸🎸🦅🐕
I am a big fan of the Andy Griffith show, however no other location represents the Mayberry we all know and love! The 40 acres backlot is the true Mayberry! Someone should have had the good sense to preserve the backlot, at least the downtown Mayberry part! Mt Airy is not Mayberry, never will be!!! But it lives in our memories!
My friends and I took a road trip on our motorcycles to Mt. Airy N.C. and Mt. Pilot N.C., on October 8, 2022. However, we didn't get see some of the stuff y'all saw. I do have a picture of me and my service dog (Gracie) with the statue of Andy & Opie. We rode past Andy's childhood home, and had lunch at "Aunt Bea's BBQ, and we saw the old Squad Car riding around. It was a great ride!
I lived near there years ago. I was so upset, because my girlfriend broke down near there, and I was upset thinking, we really could not afford it. Shockingly, the gas station repaired it, for the equilivent of $20, and were so nice.
Did you get a taste of Kerosene Pickles Aunt Bea made? Born and raised in Mt. Airy went to same school Rockford Street Elementary that Andy attended performed on same stage Andy did except 20 years apart had a few of same teachers that taught Andy. As a young man traded beagles ( hunting dogs) with Andy's uncle worked with many of his cousins, still live here not bad place to raise family.
We have been there about ten times already. Make sure you go to the quarries outside the town. Wonderful place, but it has changed since 2007-- a LOT! Some of the places we toured in and around Mt. Airy on #52 (aka Andy Griffith Highway) aren't even there anymore, and some of the town has gone "New Age," ruining the old time charm of this place. I don't think that Andy would have expected all the New Age shops. Floyd's Barber Shop has a photo of my husband on its wall, as he does with almost everyone who gives him permission to do so. The next big attraction you need to go to is Pilot Mountain. We go there on our way home.
