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New York

In response to this post: http://www.bigpumpkins.com/DisplayPhoto.asp?pid=7424&gid=-1171

I did some digging (I have access to a few newspaper archives) and found the same ad printed in a few other papers from around the same time, but no other mention of such a specimen. The record at the time, according to the SNGPG's report on the origins of the AG, belonged to Warnock's 365-lb pumpkin. His 400-lb fruit was grown in 1900, only a few years after the alleged 469-lb specimen; in the modern era, 69 lbs wouldn't be such an alarming discrepancy in growing techniques. However, an 'official' pumpkin >469 lbs wouldn't officially be grown until 1980.

The ad says the grower chose not to save seed from specimens under 200 lbs, which is believable—records of 200 lb squashes/pumpkins go back to the mid 1800s. Now, I found dozens of articles excitedly reporting on 100-300 lb pumpkins in the 1870s through the 1890s, with some specimens being documented in numerous papers. One paper from 1898 reports, "the 150-pound pumpkin [...] will stop the mouths of any of our esteemed contemporaries from talking about big pumpkins hereafter".

Obviously this was before such luxuries as the internet, so it was entirely possible for people on one side of the country to have no idea what was being grown on the other side. However, newspapers from this era were very apt to report on every local oddity, especially those with agricultural significance, so I find it unlikely that a pumpkin approaching 500 lbs received absolutely no coverage in the news. It may be that all reliable records have since been lost; I'm simply not looking in the right places; or that the weight was exaggerated to entice people to buy the company's seed stock. That seems like the most obvious answer, but hey, stranger things have happened.

9/17/2014 3:14:38 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

here's another mention of it

http://www.pumpkincurioushistory.com/iv3.html

9/17/2014 3:36:55 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

I'm quite familiar with the history of pumpkins.

9/17/2014 3:38:19 PM

Acton

very interesting. Are there any other good historical mentions of these large pumpkins?? I would like to read more!

9/17/2014 3:46:46 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

only a mention no historical proof

9/17/2014 4:11:37 PM

British Columbia, Canada

Very cool! I wonder what type of pumpkin in was grown on?

9/17/2014 4:12:38 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

1068 Wallace

9/17/2014 5:44:35 PM

Home of happy lil plants

Norm I know you were there to witness this was it really 469lbs?

9/17/2014 10:00:31 PM

Farming- a bunch of catastrophies that result in a lifestyle

Lmao Spence, Wizzy!!!

9/18/2014 5:46:40 AM

Upa Creek, MO

When did Pap's family come here from the old world and my money says it was grown from the "168" Wallace, Wizz

9/18/2014 7:47:34 AM