I had always wondered where this scene from "Opie's Girlfriend" was filmed on the "40 Acres" backlot, but even more mysterious was the faded lettering I noticed yesterday after capturing the scene:

http://www.retroweb.com/40acres/tags_1024/opies_girlfriend_16.jpg

Fortunately, I now have an answer to both mysteries...the location of the scene, and the origin of the lettering.  I really don't expect anyone to guess the answer to the latter, as there was considerable coincidence involved in figuring this out, but does anyone care to venture a guess as to where this scene was filmed relative to other Mayberry locations?   I'll post the answer to both after a while.

well , that kind of looks like the wall between the courthouse and nowhere.

There seems to be two dots over the U in the sign...is it German from another movie?  It looks like it says "Der Fuhrer"

Lake Loon

ah , good eye you red crested lake loon !

Widow Bradshaw, your guess is correct.   See the following two wider-angle shots, in which the writing is also visible:

http://www.retroweb.com/40acres/tags_1024/andys_english_valet_01.jpg

http://www.retroweb.com/40acres/tags_1024/helens_past_02-widened.jpg

As for the writing, it is German, and it is left over from the 1959 film "Verboten!"   See this image:

http://www.retroweb.com/bb/verboten_fence.jpg

Wow!  That's beautiful!

Nice job - Again!

WOW!  They's Nazzis in Mayberry!   :(

Actually, "Führer" is not necessarily a Nazzi thing.  It means simply: leader.  It could be applied to any current or past leader.   It is even used to describe a scout master.

Gonna have to get a copy of that movie and see if we can get a closeter shot soes we can read it.

The two dots are called umlauts. (oom louts).  The word preceding the capital F seems to be something more than 'der' As it crosses the cross brace, I'm thinking I see the beginnings of a letter 'm': dem.  Means "the" or "that."

I think it actually reads "dem Führen," which I believe is a derivative of "der Führer."

I have scanned through the entire movie twice, and that is the closest shot I've seen.   Believe it or not, it was the movie scene that clued me into the location of the fence...not the other way around.  Widow Bradshaw nailed the location right away, but I had mistakenly believed the TAGS foot-race fence to be over closer to Wally's Service Station.   After I spotted the distant wording on the "Verboten!" fence, I re-examined the Malcolm Meriwether crash scene from "Andy's English Valet," and, lo and behold, there was the same faded lettering!   :)

Another interesting aspect of that fence is that the "FEED & GRAIN" lettering had been removed by the time "Helen's Past" (final season) was filmed.   Compare http://www.retroweb.com/40acres/tags_1024/andys_english_valet_01.jpg with
http://www.retroweb.com/40acres/tags_1024/helens_past_02-widened.jpg and you'll see what I mean.

Finally, and this is unrelated to the fence or the lettering, but just a few frames forward of the "Helens' Past" scene above, we can witness a minor production slip-up.   Howard and Goober walk by the right courthouse front window, but the blinds are just a bit too far open, and we can actually see all the way through the set and behind the courthouse facade.  Look over Goober's back in this shot:

http://www.retroweb.com/40acres/tags_1024/helens_past_05.jpg

Awesome stuff, Retro you really contribute some great stuff.  Love your website too.

Keep it up Retro. Your findings are too cool.

Thanks guys.  I am enjoying "re-exploring" the details of both 40 Acres and The Andy Griffith Show by way of the new, "hi res" captures.  :)    I am slowly upgrading all the captures at http://www.retroweb.com/40acres_tour.html, beginning with the color views.

The only strange thing I ever noticed (before) about that race between Opie and Helen's niece, Cynthia, is that all of a sudden, Opie can see the fillin' station from the Taylor front yard.  And it don't take long to run between the two!

Again Retro, great work and wonderful contributions!

You are the best, Retro!  I look foward to all your posts !!  :)

Actually, I think the writing on the wall said:      
Adolf Menshew besser als Herr Scvamp bekannt war hier. which translates to Adolf Menshew better known as Mr. Schwamp was here!

I know this is an old thread, but just a couple of days ago I saw yet another goof. I forgot the name of the episode but it's the one where Aunt Bee thinks Opie shouldnt be hanging around the courthouse because it is a bad influence. When Opie finishes the apples on the truck tailgate, he puts his hand to his stomach like he has a tummy ache. At that moment, you can see the back and right arm of someone reflect in the window of the place over Opie's right shoulder. The crew member comes into the window and then bends down like to pick something up. You see the back and then the right arm comes out as he is going down. I played it back to see if I saw it right and I saw it right! LOL! :o :o

Why can't I open any of these photos?

They were posted nearly a year ago.  Retro has probably taken them down since then.

Hog Winslow wrote on Jul 22^nd, 2010 at 11:32pm:

Why can't I open any of these photos?

Try again now.  I had to move retroweb to a new provider a couple of months ago, and I neglected to include this folder.  It's back now, so the links should all work again.

For those who haven't seen Retro's work, don't miss it.

40 Acres Studio Backlot

An awesome level of research and creativity.

you are correct Retro, the pictures are back. thanks

Fantastic site wow!