Benson: What's Happening to North Carolina's Small Towns?

This is a small town is about 40 miles to the Virginia border, between I-95 and Route 40. Population is about 3,900.
There is an annual Mule Day festival (the 4th Saturday of September) attracting close to 60,000 visitors.
Benson, like so many towns, was set up along the railroad line. Like so many of those once-bustling towns, Benson seems to rely on breweries and distilleries to generate income and draw interest.