LIBERTY, Maine — If you frequently hike or live for the outdoors, you probably have your pick of favorite spots and stomping grounds in Maine. But what would you do if that spot was sold and made off-limits?
This was just the case for a community surrounding Haystack Mountain, lying between Liberty and Montville. What used to belong to Allen's Blueberry Freezer is now up for sale, leading to the formation of a grassroots group.
Friends of Haystack Mountain is now raising money to purchase and preserve the land. The group has put down a deposit, and must raise $500 thousand to secure the purchase.
If successful, the mountain will then be handed over to the Midcoast Conservancy.
Buck O'Herin is the board president and is thrilled with the community's response.
"So here's another example of the community saying 'Hey, we really care about this mountain, we want to protect it,'" O'Herin said. "They came together and they've enlisted MidCoast Conservancy to help protect it."
On the other side of the mountain lies Walker Elementary School located in Liberty. Sharon Clark has been a teacher there for 32 years, and carries many memories with her students on the mountain.
"It's added so much to learning here at our school," Clark said, pointing to a photo of her students at the summit of the mountain.
"So, that to me, when I look out there, that's what I see," Clark said.
At the top, it's a tradition to add a rock to the peak. With this community effort, many more generations may be able to keep adding to the pile.