Pumpkin Center, Orange County, Indiana

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Pumpkin Center
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Pumpkin Center
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Pumpkin Center
Coordinates: 38°35′22″N86°21′52″W / 38.58944°N 86.36444°W / 38.58944; -86.36444
Country United States
State Indiana
County Orange
Township Northeast
Elevation
[1]
702 ft (214 m)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
47452
Area codes 812, 930
GNIS feature ID451371 [1]

Pumpkin Center is an unincorporated community in Northeast Township, Orange County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. [1]

History

Pumpkin Center (locally referred to as "Punkin Center") is an unincorporated community along a single lane stretch of Tater Road in Orange County, Indiana.

The community was based around Gray's General Store. Opened in 1922 by Add and Mabel Gray, the store was the foundation of Pumpkin Center. Operating until 1967, the store later became a museum of curiosities displaying items the Grays had collected over their lives in rural Southern Indiana. The museum was kept open by Mabel Gray until 2006. [2]

The community was likely named for pumpkins grown here by Add Gray's father. [3] A documentary about Pumpkin Center was filmed in the early 1980s. [4] Upon Mabel's death, the Gray's lifelong savings and auction proceeds were donated to area hospitals and charities. [5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pumpkin Center, Orange County, Indiana
  2. digital.library.in.gov https://digital.library.in.gov/Record/PPO_IndianaAlbum-889BBB4B-B245-4032-81B0-122043473422 . Retrieved August 1, 2025.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. Baker, Ronald L. (October 1995). From Needmore to Prosperity: Hoosier Place Names in Folklore and History . Indiana University Press. p.  273. ISBN   978-0-253-32866-3. ...probably celebrates the large pumpkin crops grown here...
  4. Add & Mabel's Punkin Center (Short 1984) | Short . Retrieved August 1, 2025 via m.imdb.com.
  5. "A gift from Add and Mabel". The Times-Mail. Retrieved August 1, 2025.