Things to See in Bynum, NC

Bynum is a former mill village located on the Haw River in Chatham County, NC. Despite its small size and population, Bynum has a rich cultural heritage and significant historical importance. If you're in the Pittsboro/Chapel Hill/Durham area, make sure to swing by and check out all Bynum's little-known treasures!

Walk or bike across the Old Bynum Bridge, which was constructed in 1922. It is no longer open to car traffic. The bridge runs parallel to the 15-501 bridge over the river. From the bridge, one can see beautiful down-river views in both directions. On Halloween, Bynum residents and other locals carve jack-o-lanterns and place them on the bridge.

Make sure to visit the Haw River's beach area located near the base of the Old Bynum Bridge directly across from the old mill site. The beach area is now a county park. There is an access path off Bynum Beach Rd. The area has several picnic tables. The beach is a good place to spread out a towel and relax to the sound of the running water. It is not uncommon to see buzzards, bald eagles, blue herons, egrets, and jumping fish. Many people also like to wade out into the middle of the river, which stays relatively low all year long except in the case of a major storm, sit on a rock, and go fishing.

The Lower Haw River State Natural Area runs beside the river and includes the ruins of the old mill buildings. The abandoned mill buildings caught fire in 2001. In the past two years, Chatham County has cleaned up the area, tearing down some ruins and removing debris to make the area safer. However, the generator building and water shoot are still standing. There is a trail, which starts near the water treatment plant and ends near Pokeberry Creek. It is not strenuous and offers beautiful views of the river, so I strongly recommend hiking it. However, be careful to watch your footing because the trail (and all nearby ground) is naturally rocky.

Clyde Jones is an internationally renown folk artist who lives in Bynum, NC. Clyde uses a chainsaw to make wooden animal sculptures called "critters." Usually he decorates the sculptures with paint and glitter. He never sales his sculptures but instead gives them away as gifts. His house and yard are filled with his critters, and many other community members have at least one in their yards. Each year during the holiday season, the community decorates the critters with Christmas lights. ClydeFest, a festival celebrating Clyde and his work, is held each spring on the Bynum Ball Field which is located diagonally across from his house). For more information on Clyde and his critters see: http://carrboro.com/clyde/

The Bynum General Store is no longer an operating business but now functions as a community center. Therefore, it is only opened for special community events and a few scheduled times, such as the third Sunday morning of the month. The inside of the store gives you a glimpse into what life was like in Bynum many years ago. A stage has been built between the General Store and the former post office. During the summer, this stage hosts the Friday Night Music Series, which is organized by a non-profit organization called Bynum Font Porch.

For more information on the store and the music series see: http://www.bynumfrontporch.org/

While in town, eat some authentic NC vinegar based barbecue at this long-established restaurant. The food is tasty and inexpensive. They serve lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday and are closed Sunday and Monday. They are located at 5650 US Highway 15-501 North, Pittsboro, NC 27312. If you are on 15-501 coming from Chapel Hill, it is on the left just before Bynum Road and the bridge over the Haw River. Their phone number is (919) 542-2294.

To read more about the history of Bynum see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bynum,_North_Carolina