WICKENBURG, AZ.- It’s not a surprise to the old timers when they hear Wickenburg referred to as the “Pumpkin Patch,” but it certainly is to the newcomers. Those who haven’t lived in the area long say, “You’ve got to be kidding! Grow pumpkins here? In this heat?”

But grow in Wickenburg they did, plentifully and probably for centuries, planted in and along the Hassayampa River by the Yavapai Indians before they themselves would escape the searing heat for cooler spots up north.

And now, so that this valuable and little known piece of history may be allowed to repeat itself, the Desert Caballeros Western Museum has planted a new “test” garden not only full of the pumpkins, but also full of other squashes, beans, corn, tomatoes and peppers.

Undertaken by the Museum’s Education Department as a project for youth, the garden took an entire “tribe” of community volunteers to plant including knowledgeable Museum docents who researched its every detail; sponsors who generously donated everything from backhoes to soil; and cub scout and girl scout troops who showed up to dig and plant alongside other Museum volunteers.

“We are not exactly sure how many members of the Yavapai had to stay behind to till their pumpkin patch before they headed north to join the rest of their tribe, but it’s likely we had more people in on this planting than they did,” says Museum Curator of Education Mary Ann Igna.

Among the contributors: Wickenburg Girl Scout Troop 1045 led by Candice Cook; Wickenburg Cub Scout Pack 299 led by Lori Horcos; Museum Docents Ed Romanski and Joe Stevens; Museum Trustee Sergio Horcos; Dr. Sandy Lynch, curator of anthropology at Prescott’s Sharlot Hall Museum; Larry Hancock of LKH Farming; Martori Farms; Joan and John Murphy of OX Ranch; Aaron Adamson, Art Brooks, Bill Rix, Jason Rovey and Terry Sturtz. The Lion’s Club of Wickenburg also contributed to the project, and Grantham Fence and Supply Company provided a courtesy rate on the building of a handsome cowboy fence to surround the garden.

What is fascinating about the Museum’s new “Pumpkin Patch” is that it is planted in two distinct halves – a traditional Yavapai garden and a settlers’ garden. In the Yavapai portion, clusters have been created, each containing traditional Native seeds for corn, beans and squash. Following Indian tradition, the corn has been planted so it can form a climbing structure for the beans, while the squash has been planted around the other plants to help shade the roots.

Rocks have been placed in the cluster, also in the traditional manner - positioned around the seeds so they can heat up during the day and cool at night, thus forming natural moisture that can go directly into the plants. In another attempt to duplicate the Ak-Chin method of Indian irrigation, other larger rocks have been placed at the edge of the clusters so that water can trickle in without damaging young seedlings or maturing plants.

“Yavapai planting was all very scientific,” says Museum Docent Ed Romanski whom, along with Sharlot Hall Curator Dr. Sandy Lynch, figured out the design for the Museum’s traditional Yavapai garden. “We should be so smart in the way we plant to make the most of our desert environment and the limited resources of water we have.”

According to Romanski, the settlers’ garden has been planted in much the way we plant today. It contains tomato plants, peppers and other kinds of squash including pumpkins. Shading material has been placed over both of the gardens to replicate the natural shade the plants might have had in an earlier day along the Hassayampa River .

Visitors are invited to drive by the Museum’s new “Pumpkin Patch” located at the corner of Frontier and Coconino Streets to check on its progress. “We plan to harvest in the fall,” says Mary Ann Igna. “We’ll do it in October, just in time for Halloween.”

For the Yavapai, Romanski reminds us, Halloween wouldn’t have been on the calendar. “They would have been back in the Wickenburg area at that time to hunt and gather,” he says, “but they wouldn’t have been harvesting their pumpkins and other vegetables for Halloween. They would have been planning their winter meals!”

Those interested in becoming a Museum volunteer or Docent, and in participating in projects like “Pumpkin Patch” are invited to call the Museum at (928) 684-2272, ext. 110.