We all packed into the car. I made my seven-year old twins go as well. They were thrilled about this. Not. However, I think watching mommy turn into a child shaking with excitement made it all worthwhile for them. We drove the ten minutes up to the Henry River Mill Village. The entire ride up, I kept wondering what I’d see. In all my years of growing up in Hickory, NC, I’d never been to the little ghost town. I pictured lots of woods, because in my mind this was where the actual games were shot.
Boy, was I wrong.
As we crested the hill, I gasped. Hand-over-my-mouth, oh-my-God whispered, gasped.This is the first thing I saw:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglI-ASTrmZimA-DeHAfLqcNge82ziH7Y0zTt87iXDWV6003ndM9tFe5-ccgBiNjdDKq7CFyVvPS1QgYPRZ11wPx0PhenoNH4ssH34JlB1wgTGIviuWChERTOkYumyjOpQWD3g-2w/s320/105_9778.jpg)
I turned to my dad and said, "It's the bakery, Dad! Peeta's a baker's son. This is the bakery. I know it."
And just like that I knew I'd just entered Distract 12.
Later, when we got home, my Dad dug out a newspaper from earlier this week and handed to me. Right there on the front of the Hickory Daily Record was the guy who will portray Peeta standing with a loaf of burnt bread (we all know the significance of the burnt bread) right in front of this building. The only addition is a wood porch that was built in front of it. I smiled when I saw it.
One other view that really grabbed my attention was this one:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPtvY0Ofcn3InuFFyPDnXHgRgNrr_23cNJD2emIfpXu4OBaQpsIy-ulbJeOF93tOR4wMimJSImA0uqhnRZZkGBiKHx4pu59NILnZNeHMvdVMQG6EpbVzURx1K21oYzegiQREIvg/s320/105_9787.jpg)
You get this image after you've taken this curve along the road. This just opens up right in front of you. Honestly, it took my breath away when I saw it, because it was exactly how I envisioned District 12 when I read the book. When I got back to my house later that night, I pulled up a couple of the trailers and watched them. Looking for these houses. What I found was even cooler. There is a clip where Katniss is walking in this exact location, behind all the debilitated houses. It was a really cool moment.
Here are a few more pictures:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcGGr9eMLU95aVMlkMIehykus7xoD4hZCzp4yZsmTA2KhxAP61_WRubr3teX6RkwoRIu1G-TC062Oxh5ZFnU-UB7tIW79PEj4wV-xLClIr0UEZAyecl9m9stKEgwBJWVCPG4XSA/s320/105_9788.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6n6M5NVebU8s-YEk8QKBvTLnIwzjKOCZmibS5l_yacApZfy5FuFNfvrslNjHAgm4EdifxVFe-a_UVGUDkZZ0xItUuthubArAQVzg-Vfs7yEgTQ4RxSCzeX8OolwOHVDs4PF1n5w/s320/105_9785.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemkMzc0E2szCrdQP4wAVH2yakDWu07IiWkfj7BQ75PBWW-hfaDYZpcY5TYh4m-sDciKHV9ajsTWAVIaE19p9sxCCiHvEm9BixRUoFrwBQn6PnR91hx5RHeiDtTJOvey9izff9kA/s320/105_9784.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitEWwJtjBeWA-tUqc1vjWFnJsXdawTXFw3alkt_SszheCKBdB4J0edlJvDlaIKRSgeXc7MJerIzHQ-gaLF07sWjL2YRKoDjBvgFlsDhA6l24jZ6-7KknTCHAPBTphtvtpsyyW4UQ/s320/105_9783.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzaXohW52hpSZ-skXoBbuOwjJ1Oi0HfHH0AHq_udg0n4gAz_t6gkD6K5R906D2sBRQyIEKW-wSYdxHDd0N4Y3NnlE0B570FstypkPLcVG7IhnE_lY_sqGYbGwTy_7Ny7NyESl9g/s320/105_9782.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0_KTsqPbr5L4cZ77g8Fzke3iojINQ52j-qLa-MUfaHBSTK_Cc6lKYn2-534MXfEGt-3_GFKGmIjgCeWxJuyj2jT5gevZRgS3aKS55LDtNCbcjYqYFyS_v9o_xPRDVKZRG3sOAg/s320/105_9790.jpg)
I loved this last one. The picture doesn't do it justice, however. All I can say is this was the perfect setting for District 12. I have no idea how the production team caught wind of this little deserted town, but I can't see where they'd would've found a more perfect place.
According to the Hickory Daily Record, the area has seen an increase in tourism since the filming completed. I can believe this. We weren't alone while we were there. Everyone, at least locally, wants to see where The Hunger Games was filmed. I'm so glad I went.
Abby
2 comments:
I love these pictures! Man, I just got back from the movie. I wish I had seen them before. I would have paid attention to see each building. As it is, I want to go see the movie again so I can see which buildings were featured!!!
Thanks a ton for sharing these.
Tami
Terrific pictures. It looks like a beautiful place there. Thanks for posting. I love abandoned places.
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