New Bern, North Carolina: Tom Haywood's Self-Kicking Machine (Gone)
Dissatisfied travelers couls pull off the road and self-administer a good boot in the butt.
- Hours:
- June 2017: Reported gone.
- Status:
- Gone
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Sad to report that this is no more. I think the owner passed away and the shop sat unopened for a long time with everything still inside. They cleared it all out and removed the machine a month-and-a-half ago.
[Tony, 06/18/2017]Tom Haywood's Self Kicking Machine
The Kicking Machine now has an "Out of Order" sign. I noticed there were no pictures of it, so I stopped by recently and took one.
[les hammond, 07/25/2014]My friend and I ride our motorcycles just to visit the Roadside America attractions, and the self-kicking machine is still up and running as if it was just built!
[Mike P, 06/28/2011]Some historical info on the kicking machine: The original was built by Wilber Herring at the request of Tom Haywood, the store owner, and installed in the early thirties. Over the years it deteriorated and, I believe, was donated to the NC Museum of History in Raleigh by Mr. haywood's family.
I owned the store from 1993 until 1996 and I built the replica that you show exactly to Tom Haywood's specifications. Legend has it that Lucille Ball kicked herself on Tom's machine after losing a political wager, and Babe Ruth visited the store many times while on hunting trips to the Croatan, although he visited prior to the machine's installation.
[S Junkersfeld, 02/18/2007]It now belongs to an antique store, and it still works!! Coming from New Bern to Havelock, it's on the right hand side of the road just before Catfish Lake Rd. The white church mentioned earlier is on the corner of Catfish Lake Rd. A great place to make a few photos and get out to stretch your legs.
[franky, 10/23/2006]Page of 2 [Next 3 items]
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If there's any justice, when the self-kicking machine is repaired the first person self-kicked should be the person who broke it.