Shangri-La Stone Village

Shangri-La Stone Village Joel Haas on Flickr (Creative Commons)

Started after he retired, Henry L. Warren’s Shangri-La Stone Village is a surprisingly comprehensive set of buildings made from concrete, stone, and thousands of arrowheads.

In 1968, Warren began work on his gnome-sized village using rock that he blasted from his own land. Usually equipped with some Coca-Cola and a cigarette, Warren worked all through his final nine living years to bring his city to life. When he passed away in 1977, Shangri-La consisted of 27 completed buildings. The village had a theater, a gym, a hotel, and even a tall water tower. Ironically, Warren was working on adding a hospital when he passed away.

Having been built with solid stone, the village has weathered the decades quite well and visitors can still visit the little buildings, following the stone path that leads from the house. Even the path itself was one of Warrens creations, incorporating thousands of arrowheads underfoot.

Know Before You Go

Just off NC 86 between Hillsborough and Yanceyville, NC. On a short stretch of old highway just east of NC86 approximately 500 feet north of Barnwell Road. A volunteer fire station is the only other place on the short old surface.