The Best Hike in North Carolina | Eight Oaks Trail

If you love hiking, (and who doesn't?) You'll love Liberty!

Remember the movie 'Back to The Future', where old man Peabody was so infatuated with pine trees that they named the mall after the twin pines on his farm? Of course by the end of the film, the mall was named Lone Pine Mall to reflect its altered past. Liberty has its own fascination with trees. From the town seal, to Eight Oaks Trail,  it's no wonder we say "It's a Nice Place to Live" just like Hill Valley.

Eight Oaks Trail is located at Freedom Park and encompasses a near one mile loop, through the forest that's ever changing. It's the best hike in Liberty as far as we're concerned. Filled with wildlife, and plants of every variety; be sure to bring your hiking shoes as the varying terrain, and treacherous foot path can range from simple to extreme. Deer, and and squirrels have been known to visit hikers upon their journey through this enchanted trek which lasts about forty-five minutes. Along the way you can check off the eight different oak trees found throughout the trail, but keep an eye out for the dangerous copperhead or diamondback rattlesnake that's poisonous and may get cranky if you disturb their happy lives in the wilderness.

Since Eight Oaks Trail is at the park, why not make a day of it by picking up some pork shoulder and grilling it in one of the two picnic shelters. Tacos make the perfect hiking food:

After lunch and a few games in the park it's off down the trail we go, on the best hike in North Carolina!

Welcome to Eight Oaks Trails

Inside the trail's labyrinth a whole different world exists!

The canopy.

Surprises around every bend!

The Emerald City is just a metaphor.

Bridges and board-walks keep you from
 stepping on butterflies and changing the past.

Since this trail is secluded, be reminded that cellular phones or hand-held GPS devices may not always work. Be sure to bring lots of water, and bug repellent is recommended as well as a digital camera.

Pizza Hut | Liberty, NC

Great news! Pizza Hut of Liberty, is now open at the Food Lion Shopping Center. Not only can you call and place an order over the phone, but also you can place it via internet or their mobile-web apps for android and I-phone. Check out the restaurant page of our website for their phone number, and a link for ordering online!

Previously,

LIBERTY, NC - For the first time ever, Liberty's ability to attract a major food chain has changed. With Liberty's new Pizza Hut comes new jobs, and new food. With it, Internet, and mobile phone ordering should provide easy access for hungry, pizza eating, local citizens and their cravings to order from the famed red-roof Pizza Hut.

What appears to be a sign of growth in a town ready to to tackle the 21st century, Pizza hut, now begs to ask the question of what's next for Liberty?

Our staff, here, would love to see a Five-Guys, and a Harris Teeter, but we realize that it's going to be amazing just to have Pizza Hut here. On behalf of the people Liberty, North Carolina, I formerly welcome Pizza Hut to the greatest little town of Earth.

We shall sing pizza, and dance in the streets, because the future of food has come home.

West Liberty High-School | The Saddest Place in Liberty.

The flowers of gold have grown from the tears shed here.

For me, the saddest part of Liberty, in my opinion, is the West Liberty High-School known colloquially as "The Old School", in what was once, and often commonly today is still called West Liberty. The school, closed in 1966 and was the newest of the Randolph County's schools at the time. Racial integration occurred,  but due to opposition and racism at the time from white residents,  the decision was made to bus black students to the older "white" school downtown, rather than have them endeavour into "black" side of town. A million dollar decision that left the Old School, abandoned for all time to whither in time. Today it still sits vacant, untouched since those fateful days in American history where the destiny of this school was determined. By doing so, more than just a high-school that was closed, it "meant a loss of community and pride." (cite) It was "devastating."

Abandoned Liberty

West Liberty, NC High School

Barbed wire where laughter once echoed.

Many times throughout the years, the school had been at the forefront of politics once again. An attempt to revamp the decaying structure into a community center, or government office, was thwarted by the fact the property is now in the hands of private ownership, a Californian who doesn't even live here. The question many citizens keep asking is, since it's in such disrepair, a shelter to local vagabonds and the homeless, dangerous to neighborhood children, while horses graze outside; can we not, condemn and seize the property if the owner fails to fix it up? I've been asked, shouldn't this property, the high-school, be held to the same responsibilities of property ownership we expect from anyone in our community? To keep it clean, beautiful, and beacon for our community? What might be a very historical footnote, in dark time in America could be an asset to the community today. An opportunity to bring something good out of something that may have been a reminder of sorrow for so many. I can think of now greater honor than our city council, passing legislation that takes back the school if repairs are not made. A chance to do good in the world and return it to the people. A legacy.

Gymnasium

Horses graze in the grass.

Is Liberty, Main Street for Hollywood?

According to IMDB, Liberty now has four movies to its fame, as filming locations. The most popular still being Dick Clark's 'Killer Three', and the 1992 Stephen King sequel, 'Children of The Corn II: The Final Sacrifice.' Of course back then in the olden days, a more traditional rift divided town opinion:

Children of the Corn II

Shot in an incredible 23 days in the corn fields of Liberty, NC; director David Price has expressed enjoyment in filming within a small town. David says "there's no red tape involved and people are eager to get involved with the production. Everyone was treated like a celebrity. Everyone was asked for their autograph. We had production assistants who were asked for their autographs."

He also states the downsides of filming in a small town. Liberty refused to let him use any of the existing churches during filming. Set designers had to build a church of their own for production. Citizen's of Liberty wrote angry letters to the paper complaining about the "devil worshippers making movies about 'demon children.'" During filming production was postponed due to an approaching hurricane, resulting in flash flood storms and 100+ degree weather.

Having worked in the film industry personally, I can say Liberty is the perfect back drop for Hollywood. Even more than just the horror genre, which we seem to get type-casted as. We are Main Street for America. This could be a serious source of revenue for the town, and its revitalization effort. Perhaps Liberty needs to get its own Hollywood agent?

A Tale of Two Parks.

Liberty is lucky enough to have two main parks available for residents, and a third many don't know about. In fact we'd love to see more city property be converted into usable recreation space for citizens such as the lower Reitzel water pumping station at the end of Fairview street. What a great place for a soccer field or baseball field. Communal spaces, and great places to meet your neighbors is the recipe for a great community. Of course everyone is familiar with Freedom Park:

Established in 1976, made possible by a gift of twenty-two acres from TexFi Industries, INC. Freedom Park is the largest of Liberty's Natural parks.

Located just north of downtown Liberty, the park is home to our town sports center. Open daily to the public, it features a newly renovated playground for the kids, shade trees and picnic tables for the adults. With several nature trails for your walking pleasure you'll be sure to experience a freedom like no other here. Other amenities include: basketball and tennis courts, horseshoe pits, and baseball and soccer fields.

For special events a indoor/outdoor shelter with bathrooms can be reserved. During certain events a concession stand is open with food and drinks.

Of course my favorite park is the more central Paul Henry Smith Park:

Established in 1971, made possible by a donation from the Liberty Home Demonstration Club in memory of Mayor Paul Henry Smith, former Mayor of Liberty.

Located centrally a few blocks west of downtown Liberty, the functional park also serves as a memorial for the former Mayor it is named for. Open to the public daily, a recently renovated playground, picnic tables, baseball field, and basketball courts make family fun as easy as hop, skip and a jump away.

For special events a covered shelter and tables with restrooms can be reserved.

There is of course the lesser known Depot Park, downtown. At the current moment the park is simply a garden area with a bench, but we long for the day a meandering path allows citizens to traverse the town without having to walk on or next to roads.

Liberty Parks and Recreation Department
Martin Rierson, Director
(336) 622-3955
128 S Fayetteville St
PO Box 1006
Liberty, NC 27298


Hours
Summer: 7AM - 11PM
Winter: 7AM - SUNSET

Should the Daniel Boone Marker be restored?

Daniel Boon Marker in Staley, NC

If you didn't know, Liberty once home to Daniel Boone marker number thirty-two. It got destroyed in the famous 1959 car wreck, and was never replaced. It could be duplicated, and restored if the town chose to restore its historical marker to downtown. I can't think of any better way to embrace the past, than restore it in the future personally.

Dedicated around 1929 and destroyed in a car wreck in 1959. Liberty is the official home of Daniel Boone marker 32. Once located on the corner of Greensboro and Fayetteville Streets, the mounument is one of 358 errected between 1913-1938 by the Boone Trail Highway and Memorial Association. Designed to persuade legislators to improve North Carolina Highways, it eventually would represent memorial, patriotic, and educational objectives nationwide. 

For the record, Staley's Boone marker still stands, near the railroad tracks in the center of the town.