Near Bankston in Fayette County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
New Liberty Church and Cemetery
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O'Possum Trot School
Fayette County
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, September 5, 2026
1. New Liberty Church and Cemetery Marker
Located along the Byler Road, the earliest known burial in New Liberty Cemetery is that of William Smith in 1874. Established in 1901, charter members for New Liberty Church were Thomas "Bud" Fowler, Columbus Lonzo Fowler, William Fowler, Benjamin Lowery, and James Daniel Smith. Joseph H. and Elizabeth Halbrook donated land for the church's construction on October 18, 1901. Bud Fowler, who served as the only postmaster for nearby Dobbs purchased the first organ for the church. Alvin Colburn served as preacher when a new church was built in 1902 following a fire. After burning several more times, the congregation constructed the current church building in 1956 with additions in 1972, 1976, 1983, and 1997.
(Reverse Side)
On November 5, 1904, a meeting of area citizens established the new O'Possum Trot School along the Byler Road at New Liberty Church. Leach Smith served as the school's teacher in 1910. Eula Mae Poer, Loudelle Berry, and Ruby Kimbrell served as the last teachers for the school. Health authorities decided to close the school due to inadequate water. Following the school's closing
this page online
Erected 2026 by Byler Road Tourism Alliance and Alabama Historical Commission.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Education • Religion & Religious Structures • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1901.
Location. 33° 47.979′ N, 87° 40.376′ W. Marker is near Bankston, Alabama, in Fayette County. It is on New Liberty Road 0.1 miles north of Alabama Highway 102, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 456 New Liberty Rd, Bankston AL 35542, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, September 5, 2026
2. O'Possum Trot School Marker
Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, September 5, 2026
3. New Liberty Church and Cemetery / O'Possum Trot School Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on September 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 5, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 5, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.
