Giant Catapult in New Hampshire Still Shocks Crowds

New Hampshire is home to many interesting places.  Some attractions draw thousands of people per year, but others are intriguing locations you just happen to stumble upon.

Case in point, the field in Greenfield, New Hampshire, owned by dentist Steve Seigars and his wife, Kathy, at the old pumpkin fields at Route 30 and New Boston Road.

There, you will find a humungous catapult so large it holds the world record for flinging a 1,000-pound pumpkin across the sky and into the pumpkin fields.  It's 55 feet tall and 26 tons, according to roadsideamerica.com.

Also deemed a trebuchet, the lever action catapult was developed during medieval warfare, according to britannica.com.  It is large and far more powerful than a conventional catapult, able to thrust large, heavy objects into enemy armies.

Think of the "Yankee Siege" as a giant slingshot. But this one was created by the Seigars as an attraction, complete with a castle on the hill and iron gates.  Indeed, it is an attraction enthusiast's visit, whether he's catapulting something outrageous or not.

Launchings include ginormous pumpkins for world records, flour barrels, and pianos.  Yes, a piano has been launched here, as incredulous as it sounds.

On the Science Channel 10 years ago, an attempt was made to break the world record for a half-ton pumpkin, and it worked.  The "Yankee Siege" excelled at the world record it still holds.

Seigars says that although it's not as active as it once was, he still likes to throw things off the trebuchet, like TVs and refrigerators.  It's just cool, and we agree.