The Town of Hildebran received its official name from the early Hildebrand family settlers, Jake and Soloman Hildebrand. When the Post Office and Town Charter were applied for, someone mistakenly omitted the “d” from Hildebrand and it has been spelled “Hildebran” ever since.
Building stronger communities through economic development and civic engagement is a core focus for Burke River Trail Association (BRTA). To support this, the nonprofit has launched a Trail Town Tour series to spotlight the nine local governments along the trail corridor. Each month, a different town will be featured in a lunch meeting with the town’s mayor and manager, offering insights into the town’s history, offerings and plans, all while enjoying lunch from a local establishment.
The second tour of the year focused on the Town of Hildebran. Mayor Wendell Hildebrand kicked off the luncheon with the town’s history. In the 1800s, Jake Hildebrand, son of one of the first descendants, put the first switch off the railroad into his sawmill so he could saw timber from his farmland. It became known as the “Hildebrand Switch” and even later was shortened to just “The Switch.”
Town Manager Logan Shook provided details on the town’s current projects. First, the Community Park had recently been updated to include an accessible swing and added ADA entrance ramps. For the newest park in the works, Royal Park on S Center St, he discussed the grants they had received for the park and they hoped for a May or June opening date. The park includes a splash pad, musical play features, amphitheater, walking track, and a new concession stand with restrooms. Finally, the Hildebran Auditorium is being updated thanks to several grants. The 340 seat space will include a green room addition and enlarged lobby.
Beth Heile, executive director of Burke River Trail Association (BRTA), shared details on how Burke River Trail would come into Hildebran. Royal Park will serve as the eastern terminus of Burke River Trail and BRTA served as the nonprofit to handle fundraising for the park. Over $30,000 was raised through sponsorships and donations. With the association sponsoring the park’s Walking Track.
For the trail route, a NCDOT funded feasibility study was completed to find the best route to connect Long View to Hildebran. The next step in that is to apply for LAPP funding where the two towns with BRTA would share the 20% match needed. Though Royal Park is the ending trailhead, a trail connection will continue on to Henry River Mill Village. There is will connect to Wilderness Gateway State Trail (as a paddle trail). Heile noted that Town of Hildebran had been extremely supportive of the trail through town.
Though lunch is the main event, with the Hildebran food coming from Tex’s Fish Camp, optional activities were offered. A group walk at Community Park and an afternoon touring the town’s projects and the East Burke Senior Center and Library were on the schedule depending on the interest of the guests.
In addition to brining people to town, BRTA created a “Day in Hildebran” itinerary for the town to use and circulate on social media. The activity of creating an itinerary helps a town see all the interesting things there are for residents and visitors to do; as well as see where they may have gaps in types of businesses or amenities. As BRTA works with town staff and residents creating the Trail Town itinerary, they often realize there is a lot more to do than they thought.
If you are interested in learning more about Burke County towns, join in an upcoming tour. Twenty slots are available to the first people who RSVP to burketrails@gmail.com
Upcoming Schedule
- April 3 – Town of Drexel
- April 24 – Town of Rhodhiss
Each of the Burke County’s unique downtowns holds its own distinct charm and character, and the Burke River Trail will offer them a platform to showcase their individual highlights. From rich history to local attractions, from vibrant cultural scenes to hidden gems, the trail will serve as a conduit for communities to proudly present what makes them truly special. As BRTA continues to get trail on the ground, assisting towns in showcasing their assets is happening now.
