The Coffee Pot (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) facts for kids
The Mickey Coffee Pot is a giant metal coffee pot in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It's a famous local landmark, meaning it's a well-known and important spot. Two metalworkers, Julius and Samuel Mickey, made it in 1858. They built it to advertise their tin shop on South Main Street. Many people see this coffee pot as a sign of being welcoming and friendly. It's also an unofficial symbol of the city itself.
The Story of the Mickey Coffee Pot
How the Coffee Pot Began
The Mickey Coffee Pot was first created in 1858. It was made by two brothers, Julius and Samuel Mickey. They were tinsmiths, which means they worked with tin and other metals. The brothers owned a shop on South Main Street in Winston-Salem. They built the huge coffee pot as an advertisement for their business. It was a very creative way to get people's attention!
Moving the Giant Coffee Pot
The coffee pot was first placed right next to the street. Because it was so close, wagons and cars often hit it. In 1920, a car damaged the pot badly. City leaders wanted to remove the sign for good. They thought it was dangerous and against advertising rules. But local people loved the coffee pot. They protested, and the city decided to fix it. The pot was then put on a tall post, farther away from the road. This made it much safer.
The coffee pot had to move again in 1959. This was because a major highway, Interstate 40, was built through the area. Later, in the 1960s, Old Salem Road was created. This also changed the roads around the pot, so it moved one more time. Today, the City of Winston-Salem owns the coffee pot. You can find it at the north end of Old Salem. It sits on a small island where Old Salem Road and Main Street meet.
