A trip to the original "Mayberry"

That tall, amiable sheriff and his little boy, Opie, heading to a fishing hole on the outskirts of Mayberry, North Carolina, at the start of "The Andy Griffith Show," were actually strolling along a backlot in Culver City, California.

Ron Howard, the actor who played Opie, is now one of Hollywood's top directors. Most of the other stars – Andy Griffith; Don Knotts, who played his deputy, Barney Fife; and the actors who played Aunt Bee and Floyd the Barber – they've all passed on. After all, it's been 53 years since the show was cancelled.

So, it may come as something of a surprise to learn that Mayberry is doing just fine, even though its actual name is Mount Airy, and its only genuine link to "The Andy Griffith Show" is that Griffith was born and grew up here.