From WRAL:

An iconic television show synonymous with North Carolina’s cultural fabric continues to resonate with its citizens decades later. 

Now, a new layer of recognition for The Andy Griffith Show is on the docket in the state legislature. House Bill 557, filed on March 31, would honor the former landmark show as the official show of North Carolina. North Carolina representatives Neal Jackson, Brian Biggs, Sarah Stevens, and Kyle Hall are all primary sponsors of the bill.

The bill was heard in the House State and Local Government Committee on Tuesday afternoon. The bill advanced after Rep. Jackson explained its lore.

“It’s about a small town setting with quirky characters that teach timeless lessons about responsibility, humility, empathy, patience and community,” Rep. Jackson said. “It has done so much to bring small town North Carolina life to, not just the nation, but to the world.”

Griffith, a Mount Airy native and UNC-Chapel Hill graduate, was an ambassador for the state on a public stage when it was still broadly known for things like agriculture and stock car racing. More than 60 years after the show first aired, North Carolina is a different place in many ways, but the bill acknowledges its charms and lessons as a treasured touchstone for the area.

“Performing as Andy Taylor, Mr. Griffith highlighted people, places, and attitudes from North Carolina that brought an awareness and fondness for the Old North State on a television show that dominated the national television ratings and ended its final season as the number one show in America,” part of the bill reads.

The show, where Griffith played Sheriff Andy Taylor in the fictional town of Mayberry, ran from 1960 until 1968. The setting was inspired by Mount Airy. It was one of the first entertainment productions to give viewers in other parts of the U.S. an impression of North Carolina. Thematically, the show often contained an allegory that served as a teachable moment for the audience.

Griffith held his home state in high regard, often referencing it in his work. Griffith also played Sir Walter Raleigh in ‘The Lost Colony’ and was the lead star of long-running drama series ‘Matlock.’

For decades, the state’s residents pointed to Griffith’s stardom as a part of their heritage. Before cable television and the internet were widespread, Griffith’s handling of problems around characters like Taylor, Barney Fife, Aunt Bee and Helen Crump was endearing to fans. 

Reruns of the show have been in circulation since it ended, keeping it in the consciousness of many native North Carolinians. Since the show’s airing, the state has kept a growing presence in the entertainment industry, with many major productions having been filmed here.

For years, WRAL newscasts have aired Griffith’s monologue on football titled ‘What It Was, Was Football’ at the start of the season over highlights. ‘North Carolina, My Home State’ was another popular comedy bit of Griffith’s.

Griffith died in 2012 and is buried on Roanoke Island. Touches of his legacy are still around today. A statue depicting Griffith and Opie, his son on the show played by Ron Howard, is on display at Pullen Park. In Mount Airy, a mural of Griffith was painted in 2022 and the Andy Griffith Museum is a tourist attraction.

WRAL’s Tar Heel Traveler profiled Mount Airy’s special relationship with Griffith in 2021.

The bill is just one of several pieces of legislation this session to give official designations to cultural works. A Senate bill proposed to make Petey Pablo’s ‘Raise Up‘ as the official state hip-hop song of the state. The state has numerous other interesting official symbols and adoptions, including a state dog (plott hound), dances (clogging and shagging) and reptile (turtle).

The preceding article originally appeared on April 8, 2025 at WRAL’s website and is made available here for educational purposes only. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 106A-117 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Any views or opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Carolina Leadership Coalition, although we think this is a good idea. Photo above: Deputy Barney Fife and Sheriff Andy Taylor of the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina.