Springfield, Tennessee: The Bullwinkle Machine (Gone)

Large conglomeration of gears about 15 feet across, each gear spinning at a different speed. This roadside attraction apparently went out of business when bypassed by the interstate. Let us know if you can help identify what it was and where in KY or TN.

Directions:: Somewhere on Hwy 41 between Hopkinsville, KY and Nashville, TN
Status:: Gone

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The Bullwinkle Machine - Vague Recollections

In the late 1960s, prior to the construction of I-24 running through Tennessee, the best route from Hopkinsville, KY to Nashville, TN was Highway 41 going through Pembroke and Trenton, KY, then heading toward Springfield, TN and on into Nashville. Along the way was a roadside stop for refreshments and gasoline that had a must-see attraction they called the Bullwinkle Machine.

The Bullwinkle Machine consisted of of a large conglomeration of gears that took up about 15 feet of floor space. The gears were connected to each other and each gear had a small sign in front of it informing you of how many revolutions per minute the gear was spinning. The variance went from hundreds or thousands of revolutions per minute to as slow as only one revolution every 100 years or so.

I always enjoyed stopping and watching the Bullwinkle Machine in action. After the completion of I-24, Highway 41 became a road less traveled and sometime thereafter, the Bullwinkle Machine disappeared..To this day, my periodic searches for the Bullwinkle Machine have turned up nothing. I am wondering if anyone else remembers this Bullwinkle Machine and its whereabouts.

[David Chilton, 01/29/2012]