Moody Tavern in Danbury is one of those places where the history is doing almost all of the…read moretalking, and that is what makes it worth the stop. The building dates back to the mid nineteenth century, constructed by Nathaniel Moody before 1860 to serve travelers visiting the local mineral springs, and it later became known as the McCandless Inn. Its biggest moment came in April 1865 when Union General George Stoneman used the upstairs rooms as his headquarters during his raid through Stokes County, taking advantage of the east and west facing windows that offered a commanding view of the area. Today, the structure is recognized as a Civil War Trails site, standing in the center of Danbury opposite the former Stokes County Courthouse. Even if you're just passing through town, it is the kind of landmark that rewards a few minutes of curiosity, especially if you enjoy places where the layers of local history are still visible in the architecture. The tavern is not an operating restaurant or bar, but as a preserved historic site it adds real character to Danbury and ties together the stories of the mineral springs area, the Moratock Iron Works and Stoneman's brief occupation of the town. [Review 646 of 2026 - 4734 in North Carolina - 25827 overall]

Located on a quiet road in literally "Rural Hall", this marker stands in front of a red brick…read morechurch that dates back to the Revolutionary War era. It has the same text on both sides and reads, "Lutheran. Begun about 1778 by German settlers. Formerly called "Old Dutch Meeting House." Present building, 1878." It is marker number J-51 and it was erected in 1959 by the North Carolina Archives and Highway Departments. There is more information online. Nazareth Lutheran Church grew out of one of the region's earliest Lutheran communities, shaped by a mix of itinerant clergy and Moravian influence that helped anchor worship in this part of Forsyth County. Its first long‑term pastor, Gottlieb Shober, played a major role in strengthening scattered congregations across several counties during the early nineteenth century. The present brick church, completed in 1878 after the sale of most of the original land, still stands beside a cemetery that preserves some of the area's oldest German‑inscribed gravestones. [Review 623 of 2026 - 4711 in North Carolina - 25804 overall]

This North Carolina state marker is on Main Street opposite the historic Stokes County Courthouse…read moreand it points out a major part of the Civil War that passed through here at the end of the war. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "On a raid through western North Carolina Gen. Stoneman's U.S. cavalry passed through Danbury, April 9, 1865." If you've been in North Carolina a bit, you'll have seen similar markers in Statesville and Mount Airy and Wilkesboro. The wide march of General Stoneman included more than 5,000 men with the mission "to destroy and not to fight battles" in order to expedite the close of the Civil War. And if you're a student of the Civil War, the April 9th date will be familiar as it was the date of General Robert E. Lee's surrender at the Appomattox Court House. As such, this spot is just a little bit more noteworthy than some. Step across the street to the Moody Tavern as it points out the history of that building and Stoneman's stay there. [Review 647 of 2026 - 4735 in North Carolina - 25828 overall]

At the top of this hill next to a service station and near a diner, this marker points out a local…read morehero who was honored when the county was formed. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Officer in the War of 1812. Mortally wounded in Canada, 1814. Forsyth County named for him. Home stood a few feet north of this spot." This is marker number J-12 and it was erected in 1957 by the North Carolina Archives and Highway Departments. There is room to pull over and read the marker. There is more information online. Benjamin Forsyth emerged from relative obscurity to become one of North Carolina's most celebrated frontier soldiers, known for bold raids that made him a legend among his men. Before the war he had already built a substantial life in Stokes County, serving in the General Assembly and amassing significant landholdings. His death in 1814 and the later loss of his only son gave his story a tragic arc, but his reputation endured strongly enough that the state honored him decades later by naming a new county after him. [Review 624 of 2026 - 4712 in North Carolina - 25805 overall]

Brinegar Cabin is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Doughton Park. I originally expected just a…read morequick photo stop, but I was in for a wonderful treat and got a fascinating glimpse into early Appalachian life. The cabin has its own dedicated parking lot, and then you need to walk down a path to reach the structure, which is steep and uneven in some places. Martin Brinegar originally purchased the land in 1876 for $200 and married Caroline two years later. It took him about five years to clear the rocky hillside and build this hand-hewn white pine log homestead, hand-shaving cedar shakes for the roof, stacking two fieldstone chimneys, and building a drystone retaining wall. The couple went on to successfully raise three children on the 125-acre mountain farm, where they grew rye, oats, sorghum, buckwheat, and corn. They also managed a large apple orchard of 25 to 30 trees, while their free-roaming livestock and poultry foraged in the woods. The family was incredibly resourceful. Martin was a local cobbler who set up a shoemaking bench inside the cabin to custom-make shoes for neighbors, charging roughly one dollar per pair depending on the size of the customer's foot. Caroline was a master weaver who grew her own flax and kept sheep for wool, spinning and dyeing her own yarn with native mountain roots, bark, and flowers. To earn extra money, Caroline and the children spent weeks foraging the wilderness mountainsides to collect wild native roots and medicinal herbs. They dried and sold roots like bloodroot, mayapple, and black snakeroot to traveling drug merchants who came from Boone and Jefferson, NC. During my visit, a National Park Service ranger was inside the cabin actively demonstrating the craft on Caroline's original historic loom, which was wonderful to see! Caroline fiercely maintained the farm alone for ten years after Martin passed away in 1925. In 1935, when the federal government started buying mountain land to build the Blue Ridge Parkway, the state purchased the homestead from Caroline and donated it to the National Park Service [nps.gov]. The springhouse, log structures, and root cellars were beautifully restored during the Great Depression by workers from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to ensure it would stand as an authentic outdoor museum. Finding these hidden artistic and historical gems tucked away on the Parkway makes the whole road trip special & memorable!

LuRosa Atkins Manor is a breath of fresh air from all the Mayberry hoopla in Mount Airy…read more A beautiful old house with the delightful owners who have lovingly restored it to guide you through. Owners, April and Ed Atkins, are so much fun. Ed's stained glass work is amazing. I took the tour last week and it was definitely worth the money.

Dear river is a Painted Guitar that is located in Mayberry aka Mount Airy North Carolina and is…read morepart of an art series featuring other paint guitars around the historic Main Street area This guitar features a lovely dark blue with some ocean like lighter blues filled in. Very nice aesthetically pleasing sculpture. Overall this little guitar series is a cool art initiative in the fun little town of Mayberry.

Dear river is a Painted Guitar that is located in Mayberry. There are about 6-8 of these little…read morepainted 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.

While in the Sparta Visitor Center on a Saturday, I witnessed how the staff assist a traveler from…read morethe Blue Ridge Parkway detour. Manah was so friendly to help find lodging, area resturants and care for their pet. Within the same day, a new resident was given information of area busineses to help with an emergency repair to their home. These are two examples of how our residents care and help one another.