Pumpkintown, South Carolina
| Pumpkintown, South Carolina | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
  Location of Pumpkintown in South Carolina | |
| Coordinates: 35°00′10″N 82°39′10″W / 35.00278°N 82.65278°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | South Carolina |
| County | Pickens County |
| Settled | 1745 |
| Elevation[1] | 958 ft (292 m) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1250271[1] |
| Other names |
Pumpkin Town Punkin Town[1] |
Pumpkintown is an unincorporated community in Pickens County, South Carolina, United States on State Highway 8 northwest of Greenville.
Geography
Pumpkintown is located at 35°00′10″N 82°39′10″W / 35.00278°N 82.65278°WCoordinates: 35°00′10″N 82°39′10″W / 35.00278°N 82.65278°W (35.002896, -82.6529075).[1] It lies 958 feet (292 m) above sea level.
History
The first white settler, in 1745, was 30-year-old Cornelius Keith, a Scottish Highlander who was born at Loch Lomond and as a child had immigrated to Brunswick County, Virginia, to later move with his wife Juda and a son into this frontier area of the Carolinas. The local natives, of Cherokee stock, already had a small village on nearby Uwharrie Mountain. Their chief was named Woolenoy, whence the name of the Oolenoy Valley. From this man Cornelius Keith peacefully acquired, by selling one of his ponies, a piece of land where the village was to grow.
The unique name of the place comes, obviously, from the pumpkins that already grew wild, and in large numbers, in the valley. As locals put it, the name was later chosen by the settlers, while arguing over the issue, by following the quick suggestion "of a half-drunk Irishman". To this day, every month of October, the town hosts a Pumpkin Festival, raising money for the maintenance of the Oolenoy Community Building and the Pumpkintown Volunteer Fire Department.
Cornelius Keith went on to live a very long life, dying in 1808.
Notable People
- Benjy Bronk - Writer for The Howard Stern Show
- Lillie Syracuse - Country Music Singer http://www.lilliesyracuse.com
References
- 1 2 3 4 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pumpkintown, South Carolina. Retrieved on 2008-12-29.
External links
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