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January 07, 2013

NEWS: The Hunger Games' District 12 filming location in North Carolina now closed to visitors


Last June, it was reported that the owner of Henry River Mill Village (the filming location for The Seam in The Hunger Games movie) might need to close the property due to vandalism and theft done by fans over the past few months. Unfortunately, according to the Hickory Daily Record, it appears that the owner has now officially decided to restrict visitors from entering the village.
HICKORY, NC — “Hunger Games” movie buffs and other sightseers will no longer be allowed on a property that served as the home of the movie’s heroine. 
Wade Shepherd said people will no longer be allowed on the property of Henry River Mill Village without his written consent. 
Shepherd made the decision after dealing with brazen vandalism. 
“Because of theft and destroying things, I don’t want anybody else on the village,” he said.
Rather than just sightseeing from the safe distance of the sidewalks of the property, folks have been taking everything from wood boards from the old store to window frames from homes.
Shepherd said he found six girls from Raleigh each taking a window frame from houses and putting them in their cars. He told them to put the window frames back and said they initially refused. Only after he threatened to call police did the girls put the window frames back, he said.
It doesn’t stop there, however. Shepherd said people are even crawling under the houses now to take mementos. 
The old mill village houses aren’t safe, Shepherd said. 
“They’re everywhere they’re not supposed to be,” Shepherd said. “They’re just pilfering through everything.” 
In June, Shepherd threatened to close the property to the public due to vandalism and littering. He later relented after a man from Asheville who conducts “Hunger Games” tours heard about the littering from news reports and took it upon himself to show up at the property and clean up the trash left behind by fans. 
The biggest target for vandalism was the old mill village store, which stood in as a bakery in “The Hunger Games.” The words “pastries” and “cakes” were painted on the wood siding on either side of the front door of the building. After the movie wrapped up filming on the site, those words were left on the old store. 
Eventually, the boards with the word “pastries” were stolen. Shepherd said he has replaced the boards and had them painted. 
People from across the country are still flocking to the village to see the place that became the home district of the movie’s heroine Katniss Everdeen. 
Shepherd said he will post signs throughout the property warning people to stay away and police will be patrolling the area more. 
“I hate to do it but it’s just necessary,” Shepherd said.
This is a very upsetting news. :(

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