This Roadside Attraction In North Carolina Is The Most Unique Thing You’ve Ever Seen

If you're driving through the small town of Cameron you might find yourself slightly perplexed as to why rural, decayed barns are decorated in bright and vibrant art. It's all work of Cameron native David Ellis and a small group of New York City artists he brought to revitalize his small town.

At the intersection of Red Hill, Stanton Hill, and Nickens Road west of Cameron in Moore County lie a unique collection of art. Ellis sought to add spark to the dilapidated town where tobacco, railway transport, and the income from both once provided much prosperity.

If you've never heard of Cameron, you're not the first. At the 2010 census the population was reported at just 285. Established in 1876, the town was located at the end of Raleigh and Augusta railroad. Cameron once thrived with turpentine distilleries, mercantile and hotels to serve those traveling by rail, and a successful dewberry farming and consignment operation. Yet, the town seemed to fade into oblivion. One thing Cameron does have going for it are professional wrestlers, both Jeff and Matt Hardy are from here.

While street art and graffiti is popular from small towns to large cities, stumbling upon works of art essentially in the middle of nowhere is an unbeatable experience.

GPS is certainly a helpful tool in finding the barnstormer murals, but the best advice you'll get is from the locals. Sources say to pop in an antique shop in town and they might give you a map to show you where exactly to discover all of the artwork. Some are simply displayed on the side of the road, while others might take a short walk. That's the beauty of it - you feel as if you're always discovering new things and a dose of NYC style, culture, and creativity brings a bit of light to the otherwise drive-by town. Tobacco, railway, and even dewberry might no longer be king, but art and the work of a few driven individuals is always the eternal message of past, present and future.