The state House voted Wednesday to add an official state TV show to North Carolina's long list of state symbols. Lawmakers chose "The Andy Griffith Show" for the honor.
The 1960s show is set in the fictional North Carolina town of Mayberry, which has resulted in decades of tourism to Griffith's hometown of Mount Airy.
Rep. Neal Jackson, R-Moore and the bill's sponsor, says the show's legacy and life lessons are still relevant a half-century later.
"The Andy Griffith Show is more than just entertainment," Jackson said. "It's part of the North Carolina story. ... This show didn't just entertain us, it educated us. It reminded us to treat one another as we would want to be treated, how to laugh at ourselves, how to raise children with integrity, discipline and purpose."
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