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Mount Airy
City
Downtown Mount Airy (2011)
FlagSeal
Nicknames: Mayberry, The Granite City
Mount AiryLocation within the state of North Carolina
Coordinates: 36°30′30″N 80°36′55″W / 36.50833°N 80.61528°W / 36.50833; -80.61528
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Surry
Settled	1750s
Incorporated	1885
Government
• Mayor	Jon Cawley
Area
• Total	11.86 sq mi (30.73 km)
• Land	11.72 sq mi (30.35 km)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.38 km)
Elevation	1,063 ft (324 m)
Population
• Total	10,676
• Density	911.15/sq mi (351.81/km)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	27030–27031
Area code	336
FIPS code	37-44800
GNIS feature ID	2404317
Website	www.mountairy.org

Mount Airy /ˈmaʊntəri/ is a city within Surry County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 10,676, an increase of 288 (+2.8%) from the 2010 census count of 10,388. As of 2020, the city is the most populous municipality in Surry County. Mount Airy is located within the Piedmont Triad metropolitan region.

History

The region currently known as Mount Airy, North Carolina, was originally settled in the 1750s by predominantly English, Scotch-Irish, and German settlers. The native Cheraw people were known to inhabit the area prior to the arrival of these European settlers. As westward expansion progressed following the French and Indian War, Mount Airy started to develop, serving as a stagecoach stop on the road connecting Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Galax, Virginia. The city derived its name from a plantation in the vicinity.

Officially incorporated in 1885, Mount Airy quickly thrived due to the region's abundant natural resources, specifically granite and tobacco. This led to the establishment of the North Carolina Granite Corporation, the world's largest open-face granite quarry. The locally quarried granite has been used in famous structures, including the Wright Brothers National Memorial and the Arlington Memorial Bridge.

Mount Airy became a significant hub for the textile and furniture manufacturing industries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Companies such as Spencer's Incorporated and Renfro Corporation established mills in the city. However, the latter half of the 20th century brought economic challenges due to increased global competition and industry automation.

In 1977, Mount Airy established its official seal, representing the industries vital to its local economy: furniture manufacturing, textiles, tobacco, and granite quarrying.

Gaining fame as the birthplace of actor Andy Griffith and the believed inspiration for the fictional town of Mayberry in the "Andy Griffith Show," Mount Airy capitalized on its connection with the series. It established annual events like Mayberry Days and tourist attractions such as Floyd's Barber Shop and the Andy Griffith Museum.

In recognition of its vibrant community life and civic achievements, Mount Airy was named an All American City in 1994.

The W. F. Carter House, William Carter House, Edgar Harvey Hennis House, William Alfred Moore House, Mount Airy Historic District, North Carolina Granite Corporation Quarry Complex, Renfro Mill, and Trinity Episcopal Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Mount Airy is located along the Ararat River, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the Virginia state line. The United States Census Bureau states the city has a total area of 8.4 square miles (22 km), all land. The city is located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, approximately 14 miles (23 km) from the Blue Ridge Parkway. It has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and the hardiness zone is 7a.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,676 people, 4,571 households, and 2,530 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 10,388 people in 4,934 households. The people per square mile was 891.4. There were 5,296 housing units. The Population percent change from 2000 to 2010 was 22.4% up. The racial makeup of the city was 84.1% White descent, 8.2% African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 2.2% Persons reporting two or more races, 6.7% Hispanic or Latino. Persons per household was 2.10. Average household income was $35,428. Persons below poverty level was 21.1%. High school graduates were 76.9% and bachelor's degree or higher was 25.9%.

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,484 people, 3,667 households, and 2,130 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,010.8 inhabitants per square mile (390.3/km). There were 4,129 housing units at an average density of 491.9 per square mile (189.9/km). The racial makeup of the city was 85.34% White descent, 7.99% African American, 0.35% Native American, 2.55% Asian American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.49% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.87% of the population.

There were 3,667 households, out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 38.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.6% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 25.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,910, and the median income for a family was $33,412. Males had a median income of $27,299 versus $24,830 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,237. About 17.4% of families and 19.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.7% of those under age 18 and 20.7% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Mayberry

Actor Andy Griffith was born in Mount Airy, and the town is considered to have been the basis for Mayberry, the setting of the TV shows The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. The community holds an annual "Mayberry Days" celebration during the last weekend of September; 30,000 attended in 2009, and 90,000 attended for the show's 50th anniversary in 2010. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro estimates the town receives $5 million each year as a result. Surviving members of the cast, along with family members of other cast members, often visit. The 2024 event is slated to have a special appearance by Karen Knotts, Don's daughter.

Several Ford Galaxie police cars, painted to resemble those used on the show, give rides to guests. A barber shop has been named "Floyd's."

The Andy Griffith Museum, founded in 2009 by Emmett Forrest, attracts 200 visitors a day. The 2,500-square-feet museum, located half a mile from Griffith's childhood home, houses the world's largest collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia.

Mayberry Days will continue on September 23-29, 2024.

Autumn Leaves Festival

Held the second weekend in October, the Autumn Leaves Festival attracts over 200,000 people to the city during the festival weekend. Vendors sell food and other items, and there is a stage for musicians.

Bluegrass and old-time music

The home of old-time music legend Tommy Jarrell, bluegrass gospel legends The Easter Brothers, and country singer Donna Fargo, Mount Airy has a long history with regional music. Mount Airy's WPAQ is one of the few Bluegrass and Old-Time music stations still operating and has been airing the live radio show Merry-Go-Round from the Downtown Cinema Theatre since 1948. Weekly bluegrass jam sessions at The Andy Griffith Playhouse and the annual Mount Airy Fiddlers Convention also serve to attract old-time musicians from across the region and the world. The Fiddlers Convention first began in 1972, and is held the first weekend in June at Veterans Memorial Park. The Blue Ridge Music Center with its amphitheater and music museum of old-time music is just a few miles away on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 213, near Galax, Virginia. This area is home to the Round Peak style of old-time music, which started in the Round Peak community, just west of Mount Airy.

Education

Mount Airy has a city-funded school district consisting of four schools.

Mount Airy City Schools

• Mount Airy High School
• Mount Airy Middle School
• Jones Intermediate School
• BH Tharrington Elementary School

Surry County Schools

There are also other schools in Mount Airy that are controlled by the Surry County Schools district.

• North Surry High School
• Gentry Middle School
• Meadowview Magnet Middle School
• Cedar Ridge Elementary School
• Flat Rock Elementary School
• Franklin Elementary School
• White Plains Elementary School

Charter schools

Mount Airy has one k-12 public-funded charter school, Millennium Charter Academy.

Private schools

• White Plains Christian School

Libraries

The Mt. Airy community is also served by a Public Library that won the American Institute of Architects Design Award.

Notable people

• Frank Beamer (born 1946), retired head football coach at Virginia Tech, born in Mount Airy and raised in Fancy Gap, Virginia
• Ron Blackburn (1935–1998), MLB player
• Chang and Eng Bunker (1811–1874), famous "Siamese Twins" conjoined twins who settled in Mount Airy after they retired from show business
• Ben Callahan (1957–2007), MLB player
• Bill Cox (1929–2017), NFL defensive player
• Chubby Dean (1916–1970), MLB player
• Donna Fargo (born 1945), country music singer and songwriter, best known for the song "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA"
• Benton Flippen (1920–2011), old-time fiddler, banjo player, and guitarist
• Emmett Forrest (1927–2013), founder of the Andy Griffith Museum
• Maddie Gardner, (born 1993), local news reporter and internationally recognized cheerleader
• Andy Griffith (1926–2012), American actor, singer, musician, and comedian
• Bill Hayes, television producer
• Caleb V. Haynes (1895–1966), United States Air Force major general
• Jerry Hemmings (born 1948), basketball coach
• Tommy Jarrell (1901–1985), old-time fiddler, banjo player, and singer
• Luke Lambert, NASCAR crew chief
• Betty Lynn (1926–2021), actress
• Mark Daniel Merritt (born 1961), American music composer
• Alex Sink (born 1948), former chief financial officer of Florida, Democratic nominee for governor of Florida in 2010
• Anna Wood (born 1985), actress

Sister city

Mount Airy has one sister city:

• Samut Songkhram, Thailand

References

1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mount Airy, North Carolina
3. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. Rick Aschmann (May 2, 2018). "North American English Dialects, Based on Pronunciation Patterns". Aschmann.net. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
5. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Mount Airy city, North Carolina". www.census.gov. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
6. Berry, Brewton; Rights, Douglas L. (December 1947). "The American Indian in North Carolina". The Mississippi Valley Historical Review. 34 (3): 476. doi:10.2307/1898107. hdl:2027/mdp.39015003693119. ISSN 0161-391X. JSTOR 1898107.
7. ^ "<sc>william s. powell</sc>. <italic>North Carolina through Four Centuries</italic>. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. 1989. Pp. xv, 652. $29.95". The American Historical Review. April 1991. doi:10.1086/ahr/96.2.596-a. ISSN 1937-5239.
8. Dickson, Scott (2005). In Search of Mayberry. Boone, North Carolina: Parkway Publishers, Inc. p. 75. ISBN 1-887905-98-7.
9. "Our History". North Carolina Granite Corporation.
10. "Wright Brothers National Memorial". NCpedia. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
11. "Mount Airy granite - CAMEO". cameo.mfa.org. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
12. Edwards, Pam (January 1, 1994). "Review: The Textile Industry in North Carolina: A History, by Brent D. Glass". The Public Historian. 16 (1): 82–84. doi:10.2307/3378593. ISSN 0272-3433. JSTOR 3378593.
13. "Jacquelyn Dowd Hall <italic>et al. Like a Family: The Making of a Southern Cotton Mill World</italic>. (The Fred W. Morrison Series in Southern Studies.) Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. 1987. Pp. xxiii, 468. Cloth $34.95, paper $12.95". The American Historical Review. December 1989. doi:10.1086/ahr/94.5.1481. ISSN 1937-5239.
14. ^ "History of Mount Airy | Mount Airy, NC - Official Website". www.mountairy.org. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
15. Vaughan, Don Rodney (November 2004). "Why The Andy Griffith Show Is Important to Popular Cultural Studies". The Journal of Popular Culture. 38 (2): 397–423. doi:10.1111/j.0022-3840.2004.00119.x. ISSN 0022-3840.
16. "Map of California for movie studio filming locations". doi:10.3998/mpub.12269142.cmp.19. Retrieved June 10, 2023. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
17. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
18. "Blue Ridge Parkway « Visit Mayberry". www.visitmayberry.com. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
19. "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
20. "Station: MT Airy 2 W, NC". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
21. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places in North Carolina: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Census.gov. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
22. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
23. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
24. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
25. "The Andy Griffith Show built North Carolina on the backlot". avclub.com. July 9, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014.
26. "Famous Citizens/History". mountairydowntown.org. Archived from the original on April 30, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
27. https://karenknotts.com/tied-up-in-knotts-show/
28. "Squad Car Tours". VisitNC.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
29. Washburn, Mark (August 28, 2010). "Goober's suit enshrined in town Mayberry built". The Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
30. ^ Stange, Keith (January 12, 2013). "Emmett Forrest, long-time Andy Griffith friend, has died". The Mount Airy News. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
31. "Well, I'll be: Andy Griffith Museum opens". The Business Journal. January 13, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
32. https://www.surryarts.org/mayberrydays/
33. ^ "Mayberry North Carolina | Bluegrass Music Festivals | NC Events". Autumn Leaves Festival. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
34. www.paleosun.com, PaleoSun, Inc. Web Development. "Mount Airy Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddlers' Convention | Blue Ridge Music Trails". Blue Ridge Music Trails. Retrieved February 13, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
35. "Round Peak: The Influence of Surry County to the World of Old-Time Music | Very Surry – Blog". Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2014.
36. "Mt. Airy Public Library." Mazria Inc. Retrieved on August 28, 2012.
37. Billy Cox Stats. Pro-Football-Reference. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
38. "Bill Hayes". IMDb.
39. Caleb V. Haynes - Recipient -- Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
40. "Luke Lambert makes dream come true with NASCAR", Mount Airy News, 22 October 2012, Accessed: 25 January 2016.
41. AME Church (May 2022). present bishops "AME Zion Star". Amez.org. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
42. Joyce, Tom (March 9, 2018). . The Mount Airy News. Retrieved March 9, 2018. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)
43. Joyce, Tom. (Jul 21, 2019). Siamese Twins unite sister cities. The Mount Airy News. Retrieved Jul 22, 2020.

Further reading

• Bailey, Sarah Pulliam (January 5, 2017). "How nostalgia for white Christian America drove so many Americans to vote for Trump". Washington Post. Retrieved January 5, 2017. Social attitudes in Mount Airy

External links

• City of Mount Airy
• VisitMayberry
• Downtown Mount Airy
• Mayberry Days
• Mt Airy NC Chamber
• Mt. Airy Museum of Regional History

v t e Municipalities and communities of Surry County, North Carolina, United States
County seat: Dobson
City	Mount Airy
Towns	Dobson Elkin‡ Pilot Mountain
Townships	Bryan Dobson Eldora Elkin Franklin Long Hill Marsh Mount Airy Pilot Rockford Shoals Siloam South Westfield Stewarts Creek Westfield
CDPs	Flat Rock Lowgap Toast White Plains
Unincorporated communities	Albion Ararat Ash Hill Bannertown Blackwater Blevins Store Boones Hill Bottom Burch Cedar Hill Combstown Copeland Crooked Oak Crutchfield Devotion Fairview Franklin Hills Grove Holly Springs Indian Grove Jenkinstown Ladonia Level Cross Little Richmond Long Hill Mount Herman Mountain Park Mulberry New Hope Oak Grove Pine Hill Pine Ridge Poplar Springs Red Brush Rockford Round Peak Salem Salem Fork Sheltontown Shoals Siloam Slate Mountain State Road Stony Knoll Thurmond Turkey Ford Union Cross Union Hill Westfield‡ White Sulphur Springs Woodville Zephyr
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
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