For the better part of three decades, North Carolina’s infamous Henry River Mill Village sat empty, decaying under the wings of Mother Nature’s loving arms. Stories about the town flooded the internet, including a piece we wrote that describes some of the notorious paranormal occurrences that have been reported in this abandoned village in North Carolina.

But most people don't know that as of 2018, the whole village is no longer abandoned. The entire town was purchased and the new owners have plans to save many of the structures in the town and some work has already commenced.
Facebook/Henry River Mill Village
Yet many of the town's most haunting sites are still as they were, like this bakery made famous in the major motion picture series "Hunger Games."
Facebook/Henry River Mill Village
Until "Hunger Games" put District 12 on the cinema map, this little abandoned town, albeit creepy town, was only known to the locals, and the scores of families that moved out of the tiny mill village.
Facebook/Henry River Mill Village
But now, "Hunger Games" fans from all over the world head to the famous empty town to take the Hunger Games Unofficial Fans Tour.
Facebook/Henry River Mill Village
Editor's Note: Since the pandemic, these tours are no longer offered in person. They still offer Zoom calls and a map so you can visit the site yourself and they will guide you to the famous film spots. Please continue to read on and at the end of the article, we will provide you with a link and a way you can still enjoy the tour.

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While you tour the town, you can include fun scene re-enactments from the movie yourself for a fun little social media video.
Henry River Mill Village/ Facebook
Things are changing around the village so there are plenty of places that might be changing soon and the abandoned buildings will no longer look the same. So make sure you go sooner than later.
The tours used to have a behind-the-scenes option, which includes archery lessons, but the arrows had foam tips! (After all ... we don't need a narrator announcement that one of the tour fans has been eliminated from the unofficial Hunger Games.) It's a shame to see these tours are no longer available, so for the time being you will just have to practice your Katniss Everdeen skills at home.
Henry River Mill Village/ Facebook
In addition to the Hunger Games Unofficial Fan Tours (now offered only through Zoom calls), the new owner of the village is conducting historic tours.
Henry River Mill Village/ Facebook
Walk amongst the remaining old, abandoned structures that include homes of the mill workers and businesses that supported the needs of the people living in the village. In addition to viewing this mysterious abandoned town, you'll learn some keen history on the one-hour Historic Tour of this lovely little village.
With the recent purchase of the property and plans to revive this spooky spot, we guess you could say this little town is no longer an abandoned place in North Carolina, but it's still as intriguing as ever! Did you know you can now take two official tours of this fascinating window into the past?
Facebook/Henry River Mill Village

You can learn more at the Henery River Mill Village website.

Hunger Games Unofficial Fan Tours are offered on select by phone call only. Learn more, and purchase tickets from the unofficial Hunger Games Tour website.

If you are interested in the restoration of this little village, then you will be happy to know the Magnolia Network has picked up the project to film it. You can follow along with the progress as they envision something completely restored. Out with the old and in with the new. Check out this trailer from the Magnolia Network:

Address: 4255 Henry River Road, Hickory, NC, 28602

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More to Explore

Movies Filmed in North Carolina

Chris Dodge | May 11, 2023

What movies were filmed in North Carolina?

With beautiful weather and diverse landscapes, many movies have been filmed in North Carolina. Here are a few:

  • The Green Mile
  • Patch Adams
  • The Hunger Games
  • Talladega Knights
  • Forest Gump

 

These and others can be found on our list of 15 movies filmed in North Carolina, and you can also visit these famous sites yourself. 

 

What are some of the best abandoned places in North Carolina?

There are a few really good abandoned places in North Carolina. Here are our top three favorites:

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Henry River Mill Village, 4255 Henry River Rd, Hickory, NC 28602, USA