In the fall of 1997 on October 8th, Cornell University students, faculty, and visitors saw something very odd. Someone placed a pumpkin on top of the lightning rod of the McGraw Tower, 173 feet above ground. It appeared overnight and remained there for months with no explanation. People came up with various theories regarding the culprits. However, when university authorities were rehearsing to remove it in May 1998, they accidentally knocked it off the top. The Cornell University pumpkin prank became one of the most celebrated and enduring mysteries in the school’s history. Even 27 years later it sparks curiosity and debate. Let’s dig deeper.
The Cornell University Pumpkin Prank
On that crisp October 08th morning in 1997, students and staff noticed something unusual on the lightning rod atop the spire of McGraw Tower. What appeared to be a pumpkin was sitting at the very top, a location that seemed almost impossible to access without sophisticated equipment or daring risk. The university had no official explanation, and no one had witnessed how it got there.
At first, many assumed it was a Halloween prank, but as the days passed, it became clear that this was not a typical joke. The pumpkin remained securely lodged in place, resisting wind, rain, and even snow. Students endlessly speculated about how the prank had taken place and who had done it. The pumpkin was nearly 2 feet (61 cm) in diameter. Students placed a collection of pumpkins at the base of the tower.
The university placed an orange fence around the tower with a sign stating “Beware of Falling Pumpkin”. A student wrote a pumpkin version of the Cornell song. However, students started a website and a webcam regarding the pumpkin. It got clicks from around the world. This was a relatively new technology 27 years ago.
For three weeks The Cornell Daily Sun ran a feature called “Pumpkin Watch” on its front page. To identify the object for definite, the university sponsored a contest to identify it without leaving the ground. Physics and engineering students used remote-controlled weather balloons, including one with a hypodermic needle to take samples and another with a drill and video cameras.
Speculation and Theories
In the days following the pumpkin’s discovery, rumors and theories spread rapidly across Cornell’s campus. Some believed that it was an elaborate stunt by engineering students, known for their ability to create complex mechanisms and pull off intricate pranks. Others suggested that perhaps a crane or helicopter had been used to lift the pumpkin into place.
However, no evidence supported these theories. The logistics of placing a pumpkin on top of a spire nearly 200 feet in the air were staggering. McGraw Tower’s height, combined with the narrow and pointed structure at its summit, made it seem impossible for a person to access the location without specialized tools or extensive planning. The most likely explanation was that perpetrators climbed up the tower’s staircase which was open to the public at specified times. Then they moved through the tower’s bell cage. They cut a lock near the roof and emerged through a small service hatch at the bottom of the roof. The person/s then climbed 20 feet (6.1 m) up the steeply pitched steel roof of the tower.
As weeks turned into months, the pumpkin remained in place, becoming a Cornell icon. It endured harsh winter conditions, which only deepened the mystery. One assistant professor of horticultural sciences stated that it was too hardy to be of biotic origin.
Efforts to Remove the Pumpkin
Cornell University officials initially took a hands-off approach to the situation. The pumpkin, though perplexing, was not causing any harm, and removing it would have required significant effort. However, pumpkin falling nearly 200 feet to the ground was a hazard.
In early 1998, after months of speculation, the university decided it was time to investigate the situation more thoroughly. The university set the recovery date to March 13, 1998, the final day before spring break. By now pumpkin was rotting. University’s provost, Don Michael Randel, planned to ascend next to the tower in a crane bucket to retrieve the pumpkin. Hundreds of spectators intended to view it.
However, during a practice run, the pumpkin was knocked off the spire by the empty crane. It fell to an empty scaffold. The Provost finally recovered the pumpkin from the scaffold. There were around 200 spectators present. They promptly dispatched it in an ambulance for Cornell scientists to investigate. Two weeks later, through analysis of “microscopic slides, videotapes, and photographs,” a panel of plant biology professors declared the object’s validity as a pumpkin.
The scientists then freeze-dried the remains of the pumpkin and placed them in a glass case to be kept in the visitors’ center. They later moved to a display of brains in the psychology department and then to the office of Professor Barbara Finlay before it decayed completely.
Media Attention for the Cornell University Pumpkin Prank
The story of the Cornell University pumpkin prank quickly spread beyond the campus, capturing the attention of media outlets across the country. The New York Times, NPR, and local news stations all covered the story, intrigued by the sheer audacity and mystery of the prank. The fact that no one had confessed to the act only added to the intrigue, making it one of the most famous college pranks of all time.
As NPR noted in a 2017 retrospective, “The Great Pumpkin Caper at Cornell University has left generations of students, faculty, and alumni stumped.”
“The Great Pumpkin Caper at Cornell University has left generations of students, faculty, and alumni stumped.”
Farhad Manjoo, NPR
Theories Revisited Years Later
Twenty years after the pumpkin first appeared atop McGraw Tower, the mystery remained unsolved. In 2017, on the 20th anniversary of the prank, Cornell revisited the story, hoping to uncover new information. A special event was held to commemorate the prank, and various theories were once again explored. In 1999, editor-in-chief of the school paper Farhad Manjoo received an anonymous tip. It potentially explained how the perpetrator carried out the prank. It involved a climb up the spire of the tower and the use of duct tape.
The May 2000 Graduation issue of the Cornell Daily Sun stated that the prank was carried out by one Cornell student ringleader and two other Ithacan accomplices. In the Cornell Chimes Newsletter, it was stated that a student from the University of Montana, “Rob”, confessed to former Head Chimesmaster Courtney Kimball that they had placed the pumpkin.
One rumor also claimed that the prankster’s identity was passed down through each university archivist. At the outset, one archivist for the university offered to take a sealed envelope containing the name of the person who placed the pumpkin and open it in 5 or 10 years. However, no one took up the offer.
The Cornell University Pumpkin Prank’s Legacy
The Cornell University pumpkin prank has become one of the most beloved and enduring stories in the school’s history. It is often cited as one of the greatest college pranks of all time, a testament to the creativity and resourcefulness of Cornell students. The prank has also become a symbol of the university’s unique culture, where intellect and humor often intersect in unexpected ways.
“It’s the kind of thing that could only happen at a place like Cornell. There’s a sense of mischief here, but also a sense of wonder.”
Corey Earle
In an interview with NPR in 2017, Corey Earle, a Cornell historian and lecturer, said, “It’s the kind of thing that could only happen at a place like Cornell. There’s a sense of mischief here, but also a sense of wonder.” The pumpkin prank, he suggested, captured the spirit of the university in a way that few other events could. On October 20, 2023, 26 years after the first pumpkin, a second pumpkin was noticed on top of the tower. It had been placed there during significant renovations which included the erection of scaffolding.
Conclusion
The Cornell University pumpkin prank of 1997 remains one of the most famous and enduring college pranks in history. Despite extensive speculation and investigation, the mystery of how the pumpkin was placed atop McGraw Tower has never been solved. The prank has become a beloved part of Cornell’s culture, symbolizing the creativity and humor that define the university experience.
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