Hidden Outside Charlotte, North Carolina Is An Abandoned Historic Village Featured In The Hunger Games
Sometimes, imagining the future is the best way to reconnect with the past. That's what happened to Henry River Mill Village in North Carolina. Once a thriving mill town, all that's left today is the country store and a few dilapidated homes, all abandoned. The village would likely have disappeared altogether if Hollywood hadn't arrived. The 2012 "The Hunger Games" film was shot on location, with Henry River Mill Village serving as the backdrop for District 12, the fictional home of Katniss Everdeen.
Today, visitors can see Katniss's home in the film and the bakery where Peeta Mellark saves her from starvation. While visiting, they'll also learn about the historic textile mill that once stood there and the bustling community that filled the streets. Seven years after the film shone a light on it, the Henry River Mill Village was officially recognized by the National Register of Historic Places.
To visit, drive north from Charlotte Douglas International Airport for a little more than an hour. The village is located in Hickory, an artsy town known for its adorable boutiques and low cost of living. You'll find it tucked into a bend of the Henry Fork River, looking as if time stood still. There's a general admission fee and guided tours are available, with proceeds going to the Henry River Preservation Fund.
What to see in Henry River Mill Village
"Today the black cinder streets are empty. Shutters on the squat gray houses are closed." With that description of District 12 in "The Hunger Games," author Suzanne Collins was envisioning the impoverished coal mining towns of Appalachia. But it could just as well describe the weather-beaten mill homes of Henry River Mill Village. Founded in 1905, the Henry River Manufacturing Company chose this bend in the river to harness the power of water. It erected a cotton yarn textile mill and built dozens of homes for workers in a planned village community. Over the decades, the mill transitioned to steam power, then electricity, and by the 1960s, the mill had tripled its production output. The village also thrived, adding a general store that also served as a church and schoolhouse, even minting its own currency for families to use at the company store.
The textile mill burned down in 1977, and the general store is now the centerpiece of the village. For many visitors, the store is more recognizable as the Mellark family bakery in "The Hunger Games." In that pivotal scene, Peeta Mellark throws out two loaves of burned bread to the heroine, Katniss, faint from hunger, forging a lasting connection between the two characters. Visitors can see the store as well as enter Katniss's home, which still contains props left over from filming. In addition to appealing to film fans and history buffs, Henry River also runs paranormal tours that include access to normally restricted areas and the use of investigative equipment for avid ghost hunters.
Hold an event at Henry River Mill Village
Henry River Mill Village's historic, albeit spooky, allure has drawn visitors, but also event planners looking for a unique place to host events. The 72-acre property has hosted weddings, offering couples the unusual distinction of staying in a restored mill house as a bridal and groom suite. House 12 is a 116-year-old mill home with two suites, completely restored and refurnished, with enough room for four to six guests per unit.
While the village does cater for events and offers private dining for limited groups, it does not have any full-service restaurant options on-site, unfortunately. The closest options for food are at nearby Hickory. Alternatively, you can head west for a short five-minute drive to Hildebran, where Tex's Fish Camp is a local institution serving up fried perch, catfish, and seafood. It's on the way to DuPont State Recreational Forest with its waterfalls, hidden lakes, and silver screen views, another "The Hunger Games" location, where Katniss Everdeen hunted with bow and arrow.
If you'd like to own a piece of this hidden historic gem, you're in luck: Henry River Mill Village is for sale, though it'll cost more than $1 million to make it yours. If that's too much, you'll have to content yourself with visiting more of the movie franchise locations. Atlanta, Georgia, is where you'll find Swan House, the luxurious mansion surrounded by serene gardens, better known to "The Hunger Games" fans as the grand mansion of Panem's President Snow.