Mount Airy is a city in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 10,611.

History

Mount Airy was settled in the 1750s as a

stagecoach A stagecoach is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by four horses although some versions are dra ...

stop on the road between Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Galax, Virginia. It was named for a nearby plantation. Mount Airy was incorporated in 1885. The city's official seal was established in 1977, which depicts major industries that are home to Mount Airy including: furniture, textiles, and the granite quarry. In 1994, Mount Airy was named an All American City. 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 The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

Geography

Mount Airy is located at (36.5006, −80.6093), along the Ararat River, about 5 km (3 mi) south of the

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

state line. The

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

states the city has a total area of , all land. The city is located at the foothills of the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States, and extends 550 miles southwest from southern Pennsylvania through Maryland, West Virg ...

, approximately 14 miles from the

Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for through 29 Virginia and North Carolina counties, linking Shenan ...

. It has a humid subtropical climate (''Cfa'') and the hardiness zone is 7a.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...

, there were 10,676 people, 4,571 households, and 2,530 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

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 White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. 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

of 2000, there were 8,484 people, 3,667 households, and 2,130 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 1,010.8 people per square mile (390.4/km²). There were 4,129 housing units at an average density of 491.9 per square mile (190.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.34%

descent, 7.99%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.35% Native American, 2.55%

Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous peopl ...

, 0.05%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 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 Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $17,237. About 17.4% of families and 19.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 24.7% of those under age 18 and 20.7% of those age 65 or over.

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. ''Mayberry R.F.D.'' (abbreviation for Rural Free Delivery) is an American television series produced as a spin-off continuation of ''The Andy Griffith Show''. When star Andy Griffith decided to leave his series, most of the supporting characters ...

''. 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 2012 event was slated to have Karen Knotts (Don's daughter) and George Lindsey Jr. (eponymous son of the actor who portrayed Goober). 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 The Andy Griffith Museum is a museum dedicated to the life and career of American actor, television producer, and singer Andy Griffith. The museum, which houses the world's largest collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia, is located in Griffith ...

, founded in 2009 by

Emmett Forrest William Emmett Forrest, Jr. (September 3, 1927 – January 12, 2013) was an American pop culture collector, museum founder, and longtime friend of actor Andy Griffith. Forrest was an extensive collector of memorabilia spanning Griffith's career. He ...

, 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 A souvenir (), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and transported home by the traveler as a ...

. Mayberry Days will continue on September 19-25, 2022

The 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 Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combinatio ...

legend Tommy Jarrell, bluegrass gospel legends The Easter Brothers,

country singer Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

Donna Fargo Donna may refer to the short form of the honorific ''nobildonna'', the female form of Don (honorific) in Italian. People * Donna (given name); includes name origin and list of people and characters with the name * Roberto Di Donna (born 1968), ...

, Mount Airy has a long history with regional music. Mount Airy's

WPAQ WPAQ is an Americana, and Bluegrass-formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Mount Airy, North Carolina, serving the Piedmont of North Carolina and the Southside and Southwestern sections of Virginia. WPAQ is owned and operated by WPAQ Rad ...

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 The Blue Ridge Music Center is a music venue, museum, and visitor center on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Galax, Virginia. The center celebrates the music and musicians of the Blue Ridge Mountains through concerts, exhibits, and programs. The site is ...

with its amphitheater and music museum of old-time music is just a few miles away on the

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.

Chang and Eng Bunker

Mount Airy was the residence of Chang and Eng Bunker (1811–1874), conjoined twins joined by a band of cartilage at the chest (xiphopagus). They are buried at White Plains Baptist Church about 2 miles from Mt Airy Main street. Many of their descendants still live in the Mount Airy area.

Education

The Mt. Airy Public Library serves the community. The library won the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to s ...

Design Award. 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 *Tharrington Primary 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

Notable people

Frank Beamer Franklin Mitchell Beamer (born October 18, 1946) is a retired American college football coach, most notably for the Virginia Tech Hokies, and former college football player. He is the father of current South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane ...

(born 1946), head football coach Virginia Tech, born in Mount Airy, raised in

Fancy Gap, Virginia Fancy Gap is a census-designated place (CDP) in Carroll County, Virginia. The population was 237 at the 2010 census. Geography Fancy Gap is located at (36.669884, −80.700892). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area ...

* Ron Blackburn (1935–1998),

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

player * Chang and Eng Bunker (1811–1874), famous "Siamese Twins" conjoined twins of showman P.T. Barnum who settled in Mount Airy after they retired from show business * Ben Callahan (1957–2007), Major League Baseball player * Bill Cox (1929–2017), NFL defensive player * Chubby Dean (1916–1970), Major League Baseball player *

(born 1945), country music singer and songwriter, best known for the song "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" *

Benton Flippen James Benton Flippen (July 18, 1920 – June 28, 2011) was an old-time fiddler from Mount Airy, North Carolina. He was one of the last surviving members of a generation of performers born in the early 20th century playing in the Round P ...

(1920–2011), old-time fiddler, banjo player, and guitarist *

(1927–2013), founder of the

Maddie Gardner Mary Maddison "Maddie" Gardner (born July 13, 1993) is an American news reporter and internationally recognized former Allstar Cheerleader. She was the point (center) flyer for the Senior Large All Girl Level 5 competitive cheerleading team Sen ...

, (born 1993), local news reporter and internationally recognized cheerleader * Andy Griffith (1926–2012), American actor * Bill Hayes, television producer * Caleb V. Haynes (1895–1966),

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...

major general *

Jerry Hemmings Jerry D. Hemmings (born February 17, 1948) is a former American basketball coach and former professional basketball player. He coached the Brandon University men's basketball team to four CIAU National Championships. Hemmings is a member of the Man ...

(born 1948), basketball coach * Mildred "Bonnie" Hines,(1955-2022), Rev. Dr. Hines Elected 98th Bishop in A.M.E. Zion Church; First/sole Female Bishop born in Surry Cty, NC) * Tommy Jarrell (1901–1985), old-time fiddler, banjo player, and singer * Luke Lambert,

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...

crew chief *

Betty Lynn Elizabeth Ann Theresa Lynn (August 29, 1926 – October 16, 2021) was an American actress. She played Thelma Lou, Deputy Barney Fife's girlfriend, on ''The Andy Griffith Show''. During the 1940s and 1950s, she appeared in many films, including ...

(1926-2021), actress * Mark Daniel Merritt (born 1961), American music composer * Alex Sink, 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 A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

: *

Samut Songkhram Samut Songkhram ( th, สมุทรสงครามPronunciation) is the capital of Samut Songkhram Province. Etymology The word "samut" originates from the Sanskrit word "samudra" meaning "ocean", and the word "songkhram" from the Sanskrit ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

Joyce, Tom. (Jul 21, 2019)
Siamese Twins unite sister cities
''The Mount Airy News''. Retrieved Jul 22, 2020.