The cannon is a fun movie prop public art piece located in historic downtown mount airy North…read moreCarolina aka Mayberry that pays homage to a famed Andy Griffith episode of the same name. The cannon is a fun photo ops for die hard fans and brings back fun memories. It is located next to all The other cool Mayberry props like the jail house, Wally's and darlins farm. Overall a fun and unique site that you can only experience in mount airy.

Here is the cannon. My buddy and I visited Mayberry over the summer. We had a great time and it was…read morevery fun to see all the sights and scenes from the beloved TV show. This is a great addition to the tour and the town. I would recommend checking it out as it has many fun tidbits from Andy and Barney. Goober says hey! Hey to Goober.

Opposite the Andy Griffith Playhouse and Museum, this marker points out some of the Civil War…read morehistory that happened here in Mount Airy. There is parking in the lot if you wish to stop to read the sign. It reads, "On a raid through western North Carolina Gen. Stoneman's U.S. cavalry passed through Mount Airy, April 2-3, 1865." It is marker number M-8 and was originally installed in 1940. Online, there is more information. " In late March 1865, Union cavalry under Major General George Stoneman, commander of the Union army "District of East Tennessee," marched throughout western North Carolina during one of the longest cavalry raids in history." "Along his march from Wilkesboro toward Virginia, Stoneman's men passed through Surry County and gathered additional supplies as they destroyed local Confederate supplies. Stoneman entered Virginia after leaving Mount Airy on April 3." About a week later, Lee surrendered at Appomattox on April 9. [Review 1761 of 2024 - 3681 in North Carolina - 22784 overall]

Mayberry Union high is not an actually high school. Yet just a fictional and building facade in…read morehistoric mount airy North Carolina that pays homage to the local high school in the famed Andy Griffith Show. This building facade and small Yellow school bus are simply photo props and sit next to all the cool Mayberry photo ops from the show. Overall pretty neat and a must visit for any fan of the show.

Mayberry Union High. My buddy and I visited Mayberry over the summer. We had a great time and it…read morewas very fun to see all the sights and scenes from the beloved TV show. This is a great addition to the tour and the town. I would recommend checking it out as it has many fun tidbits from Andy and Barney. Goober says hey! Hey to Goober.

I've just spotted the Robert L. Doughton marker a few miles away in Laurel Springs and now, the…read moremarker for his brother here in downtown Sparta. Yes, brothers. Rufus was the elder and spent much of his career in North Carolina state politics. The marker is in front of the Alleghany County Courthouse and reads, "Legislator, 14 terms. Lieutenant Governor, 1893-1897. Headed Revenue & Highway Commissions. Was University of North Carolina Trustee for 56 years. Office was 30 feet west." Brothers Rufus and Robert Doughton were major political figures who shaped both state and national policy, with Rufus rising through North Carolina's legislature and Robert serving long‑term in Congress. Rufus, born in 1857 in Laurel Springs and educated locally and at the University of North Carolina, built a legal career in Sparta before winning his first legislative seat in 1887 and eventually serving as lieutenant governor. He remained a powerful advocate for western North Carolina, backing the state's landmark 1921 highway bond program and later serving as Commissioner of Revenue and chairman of the Highway Commission. Rufus retired from public life in 1933 and died in 1945, leaving a legacy closely intertwined with his brother's long federal career. [Review 883 of 2026 - 4774 in North Carolina - 26064 overall]

The Alleghany County Courthouse in Sparta, NC, is a working courthouse. It was built in 1933 after…read morea huge fire in 1932 destroyed a block of businesses in Downtown Sparta, including the 1909 county courthouse. The original 1933 brick structure was designed by prominent architect Harry Barton and constructed by the Fowler-Jones Lumber Company, using the neoclassical design to restore its presence in Downtown Sparta. It was built during the Great Depression, so the lean times meant fewer lavish features. The building's front facade layout features a classic tetrastyle (four-column) Tuscan order portico that greets visitors at the sidewalk. It was built to be the center of Downtown Sparta. It was built in an H-shape design to allow more natural light into the courthouse and offices, which was a popular design in the early 20th century. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 10, 1979. The 1933 courthouse was eventually outgrown; it needed to be expanded and did not meet ADA standards or have needed safety measures. An extensive interior remodel of Barton's layout was completed on July 1, 2025. The modern upgrade ensured the courthouse met strict fire codes and safety measures for entering the building. They were able to do all this without changing the historical facade, simply making better use of what was inside. The court handles district court cases, divorces, misdemeanors, traffic court, child custody, and civil cases. Superior court handles civil cases over $30,000, felony cases, and appeals from the district court. Additionally, the Clerk of Superior Court manages the complete archive of county court records, estates, wills, and electronic eFiling systems. The Sheriff's Office Security Annex provides secure, separate holding cells and controlled transit corridors to keep inmates completely isolated from the public during high-profile felony hearings. Needless to say, this is an incredibly busy building!

My 81st North Carolina county courthouse, out of the 100 counties, I arrived here as the sun was…read moresetting which made for a great photo opportunity with the light as it faces southwest into the sunset. Late on Friday so the courthouse was closed, but I was able to walk around and appreciate the beauty and structure easily. The Alleghany County Courthouse in Sparta is one of those buildings that rewards a stop even if you're just passing through, a solid early twentieth-century civil landmark completed in 1910. It was designed by Wheeler & Runge, the same firm responsible for several western North Carolina courthouses. It is a Classical Revival structure with the symmetry, brickwork, and restrained ornament that defined the era's public architecture. Alleghany County itself was formed in 1859 and named for the Allegheny Mountains, reflecting the region's geography rather than a person. Even with later updates, the courthouse still anchors downtown Sparta with the kind of confident, small-county presence that makes these stops worth seeking out. [Review 884 of 2026 - 4775 in North Carolina - 26065 overall]

Greater mount airy sports hall of fame is a small concrete monument dedicated to the small town of…read moremount airy aka Mayberry athletes. My buddy and I was exploring the historic Main Street area checking out all the Mayberry sites when we came across this piece of public art. Overall Mayberry has a surprisingly vast public art scene and it added to the fun in exploring this historic little town.

Mount Airy Painted Guitar is a colorful painted guitar that is located in Mayberry aka Mount Airy,…read moreNorth Carolina (disregard that this one shows in Winston Salem on Yelp) and is part of an art series featuring other paint guitars around the historic Main Street area Most of the guitars have placards with name plates on them. However this one has been torn off. Either way it is very brightly colored and a fun piece of public art. Overall a pretty cool little art series in the fun small town of Mayberry.

There are about 6-8 of these little painted guitars all across downtown Mayberry. We looked around…read moreand found all of them and added them on here for everyone to see. It was a fun little scavenger hunt to locate them. Its a nice colorful addition to the nice little TV town of Mayberry.

Andy Griffith Painted Guitar is a colorful painted guitar that is located in Mayberry aka Mount…read moreAiry North Carolina and is part of an art series featuring other paint guitars around the historic Main Street area This one sits outside of the visitors center and celebrates the man who brought fame into this little town of Andy Griffith. Mount airy s favorite son. Overall a really cool art initiative that was fun to walk around and discover.

Andy Griffith Painted Guitar is a colorful painted guitar that is located in MayberryThere are…read moreabout 6-8 of these little painted guitars all across downtown Mayberry. We looked around and found all of them and added them on here for everyone to see. It was a fun little scavenger hunt to locate them. Its a nice colorful addition to the nice little TV town of Mayberry.