Selma in Johnston County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Catch-Me-Eye Explosion
Photographed by Brandon D Cross, June 19, 2022
1. Catch-Me-Eye Explosion Marker
On March 7, 1942, seven persons were killed and over 100 were injured near this site when a munitions truck collided with an automobile and later exploded. A hotel, tavern-inn, two automobile filling stations, 11 tourist cabins, and several homes were destroyed. The area's name was inspired by the Catch-Me-Eye Inn, which had a winking fluorescent eye on top.
Erected 2019 by Johnson County Heritage Commission and Johnson County Visitors Bureau.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Notable Events. A significant historical date for this entry is March 7, 1942.
Location. 35° 31.47′ N, 78° 17.996′ W. Marker is in Selma, North Carolina, in Johnston County. It is at the intersection of South Pollock Street (U.S. 301) and U.S. 70, on the right when traveling north on South Pollock Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1413 S Pollock St, Selma NC 27576, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Piedmont. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, 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 original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Mitchener Station (approx. 2.4 miles away); The Last Grand Review (approx. 2.4 miles away); Freedmens School, 1868 (approx. 2½ miles away); Downtown Smithfield Historic District (approx. 2.8 miles away); Veterans Memorial
this page online
Also see . . . Catch-Me-Eye Explosion, March 7, 1942. (Submitted on June 21, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
Photographed by Brandon D Cross, June 19, 2022
2. Catch-Me-Eye Explosion Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on November 8, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 21, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 3,128 times since then and 527 times this year. Last updated on March 4, 2023, by Michael Buckner of Durham, North Carolina. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 21, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
