Lizard Lick may not be one of the largest towns in North Carolina, but it has one of the most unusual names. Friday describes this unincorporated, four-square-mile community located between Wendell and Zebulon in Wake County.
The author proved a sojourn in the state capital captured the essence of NC. Those interested in its history could visit folk villages, the Dodd-Hinsdale House, and Oakwood Cemetery. Visitors wanting entertainment could take in concerts, dance, and sports. Tours about town could yield sightings of the Sacred Heart Cathedral, sidewalk cafes, and working farms. For nature lovers, there were boating in the Neuse River and strolling through gardens such as the Rose Garden.
The naming of state sites such as towns, waterways, and mountains is essential as location markers and identity creators, with purposes enlightening and entertaining. A book mentioned by Parker fulfilling these purposes is William Powell’s Gazetteer: A Dictionary of Tar Heel Places and Their History. Among the discussed town in this book, a professed must for groups such as genealogists, historians, and urban planners are Big Swag, Lizard Lick, and The Frying Pan.