Talk:Lizard Lick, North Carolina
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[edit] How Lizard Lick Got Name
There are a lot of stories told of how Lizard Lick got its name. During the mid to late 1800's the Federal Government opened a liquor store near this tiny crossroads. The still was built near a lake at the crossroads. It was built to combat the growing bootleggers in the area. These bootleggers were producing a lot of bad whiskey.
Mayor Charles Woods grandpaw Carter was born in this area on October 17, 1890. The first money he ever made was picking up bottles and selling them to the still. He said there was a wooden rail fence build around the still. Hundreds of lizards would run the fence to catch insects that were attracted by the mash used to make whiskey. He reported that old 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 lizards off the fence as he left for home. He called his cane the Lizard Licker.
Our research tells us that 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 to "Go 'til you see 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 to jail. The lake dried up and still closed down. The lizards stayed. The town hall and festival site are located where the lake used to be. This is how Mayor Wood thinks the crossroads came to be known as Lizard Lick. What do you think? Posted by 70.46.30.243 and moved from mainspace by BigDunc (talk) 16:29, 3 March 2008 (UTC)
