At the turn of the 20th century, most North Carolinians were more familiar with lunch counters and soda fountains than with delicatessens. Yet as the state grew and new cultural influences arrived, the deli became an indelible part of our culinary landscape — and it continues to evolve.
In the 1930s, a Craven County man invented the country’s first “self-kicking machine,” a roadside attraction that became so popular it was even visited by celebrities.
While the staff at the state Museum of History creates a new exhibit about our childhood obsessions, North Carolinians reflect on the kids they were, the adults they’ve become, and the toys that shaped them.
