These are the actual plaques that hung on the
Mayberry Courthouse Doors
They were presented to Emmett Forrest by Andy Griffith in October of 2002. These are just a small sampling of the collection on display at the Andy Griffith Playhouse

It was long suspected by fans of the Andy Griffith Show  that Mayberry was based on Andy Griffith’s home town of Mt. Airy, NC. Andy finally acknowledged this fact in his speech during the ceremony that renamed a portion of Highway 52 “The Andy Griffith Parkway”.

Mt. Airy is a beautiful little town and the surrounding areas are full of sites that were mentioned on the show. The Snappy Lunch, Floyd’s Barber Shop and nearby Pilot Mountain (does Mt. Pilot ring a bell?) are just a few. Also in Mt. Airy is The Andy Griffith Playhouse that hosts many cultural and artistic events throughout the year.

The Main Oak Emporium is home to the World’s Largest Andy Griffith Collection donated by Andy’s lifelong friend Emmett Forrest.

Mt. Airy is now the home of a duplicate statue (another casting of the one in Raleigh) donated by TVLand. Andy was on hand in September 2004 to dedicate this great statue. It stands in front of the Andy Griffith Playhouse.

The Snappy Lunch

Floyd’s Barber Shop

The Andy Griffith Playhouse

Emmett at the Visitor’s Center

The TV Land Statue

When in Mt. Airy don’t forget to stop by