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Cornell University pumpkin prank

1997 in New York (state)Cornell UniversityOctober 1997 in the United StatesPractical jokesUniversity folklore
Use American English from July 2024Use mdy dates from July 2024
McGrawTowerPumpkin Inset zoom
McGrawTowerPumpkin Inset zoom

In October 1997, a pumpkin was placed on the lightning rod of McGraw Tower at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Due to attempts to identify the pumpkin, speculation on how it was placed, and the unknown identity of the culprit, the pumpkin acquired national news coverage as well as a dedicated website with a webcam. It was nicknamed the Great Pumpkin Mystery by some news outlets. The pumpkin stayed on the top of the tower until March 1998, when it was accidentally knocked down by a crane cage during a rehearsal for its removal. After its recovery by the university's provost, it was freeze-dried and held in a glass case in various areas of the university until it decayed fully. The pumpkin continued as a part of university legend, with its anniversary marked in 2007 and 2017, as well as another pumpkin being placed on the tower during renovations in 2023.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Cornell University pumpkin prank (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Cornell University pumpkin prank
Ho Plaza, City of Ithaca

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N 42.44757 ° E -76.48505 °
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Ho Plaza
14850 City of Ithaca (Ward 4)
New York, United States
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McGrawTowerPumpkin Inset zoom
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