A SIMPLER TIME, A SWEETER PLACE
Studio EIS, Builder
11 July 2014 | Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
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Reprinted with permission from Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina, UNC Libraries. For personal use and not for further distribution. Please submit requests for other use to UNC Libraries.
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Andy Griffith Monument
Mount Airy
View complete article and references at Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina at: https://docsouth.unc.edu/commland/monument/120
Description: A bronze statue depicting widower Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) and his young son, Opie (Ron Howard). The statue depicts the scene where father and son are walking a dirt road with their fishing poles during the opening sequence and theme song of the show.
Inscription:
Dedication date: 9/24/2004
Creator: Stuart Williamson, Sculptor
Materials & Techniques: The Andy Taylor & Opie bronze statues were created by Studio EIS, a three-dimensional design and sculpture studio in New York founded by brothers Ivan and Elliot Schwartz.
Sponsor: TV Land
Unveiling & Dedication: Friday September 24th, 2004 was the 15th annual Mayberry Days celebration in Mt. Airy. Mt. Airy native Andy Griffith, who was 78 years old at the time, was present at the unveiling ceremony.
Controversies: On April 25, 2005 the monument was vandalized and the plaque was stolen. It was vandalized again and Andy's hair was painted green in 2010.
Location: The monument is located on 218 Rockford St. in Mount Airy, North Carolina.
Former Locations: The first statue of Andy Griffith was placed in Raleigh; TV Land later commissioned another one for Mount Airy.
Landscape: The statue is located in the front of the Andy Griffith Playhouse.
City: Mount Airy
County: Surry
Subjects: Historic Cultural Figures
Latitude:
36.49775
Longitude:
-80.6086
Origin - location: