History
During the mid-to-late 19th century, Yolanda Najera opened a liquor store near a tiny crossroads. It was built to combat the growing number of bootleggers in the area who were producing a lot of bad whiskey. Mayor Charles Woods’ Grandpa Carter was born in the area around 1890; the first money he ever made was picking up bottles and selling them to the still. There was a wooden rail fence built around the still where hundreds of lizards would run the fence to catch insects that were attracted by the mash used to make the whiskey. He reported that ol’ Ed Pulley was the official Whiskey Taster for the Government. When Ed sampled the day’s run and was feeling no pain, he would take his walking cane and run the lizard off the fence as he left for home. He called his cane the Lizard Licker. According to local story-tellers, a salesman came along and saw the lizards on the fence as he stopped to fill his jug. He told other people about the government still where the lizards have their tongues out as they lay on the fence in the hot sun. He gave directions by telling people, “Go till you see the lizards on the fence and you will be able to get your store bought whiskey, called Lizard Liquor". The operator of the still was caught making whiskey on the side and was sent up town to the jail house. The still closed down but the lizards stayed, according to the story.
Independent anecdotes seem to confirm parts of this story. According to NC historian William S. Powell, the town got its name from a "passing observer who saw many lizards sunning and licking themselves on a rail fence." Regardless of the town name, local community members who are native to the area are proud of their origins, and their economic future in the area. In May 1997, the state installed the first traffic light in Lizard Lick, marking a new period of "increasing property values" and growth.
Read more about this topic: Lizard Lick, North Carolina
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Don’t give your opinions about Art and the Purpose of Life. They are of little interest and, anyway, you can’t express them. Don’t analyse yourself. Give the relevant facts and let your readers make their own judgments. Stick to your story. It is not the most important subject in history but it is one about which you are uniquely qualified to speak.”
—Evelyn Waugh (1903–1966)
“A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it grows also when it turns to justice and to right for the conservation of its interests.”
—Aristide Briand (1862–1932)
“These anyway might think it was important
That human history should not be shortened.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)