This small town in West Virginia is home to one of the coolest things that we have ever seen. Can you believe that this Victorian home has 3,000 carved pumpkins placed on display every time spooky season rolls around?
According to a mini-documentary by Long Creative, Ric Griffith, the former mayor of Kenova, kicked off this amazing tradition 30 years ago. He made a decision that we are still seeing the effects of today.
The town of Kenova has 3,000 residents and Ric decided that he was going to carve a pumpkin for each and every one of them. The house has been referred to as the “Pumpkin House” ever since. In order to make this dream into a reality, a lot of work needs to be done. Ric, his three daughters, and a legion of volunteers get started every October 19.
They look to carve at least 400 to 500 pumpkins per day. Ric is responsible for creating and drawing the designs. From there, the young volunteers are the ones who take the time to scoop out the insides. After these steps, the adult volunteers are responsible for the actual carving. It works much like an assembly line and their efforts are certainly appreciated.
We have never seen anything quite like this. Ric’s idea has managed to live on for decades and it is a testament to his love for his holiday.
As you would expect, this town gets lots and lots of visitors. Each year, 30,000 visitors make their way to the Pumpkin House. If you are in the area and you would like to stop by, 748 Beech Street Kenova, WV 2553 is the address.
“One of the neatest things anyone has said to us was said by an elderly lady who said to me one time: ‘You know as you grow up you lose the wonderment of childhood. Never do you have the same excitement you had on Christmas morning or when you got your first bicycle,’” Ric saysin the video. “But she had tears in her eyes and said: ‘I had that feeling today and I just wanted to thank you.’”
To learn more about this awesome location, please be sure to check out the video below. It’s a spellbinding watch.