10/12/2026
October 12 is now celebrated as Indigenous Peoples Day and October is celebrated as pumpkin month. But did you know that pumpkins are native to North America and were cultivated by Native Americans more than 9,000 years ago? The oldest pumpkin seeds were discovered in Mexico and were between 5,000 and 7,000 years old. The practice of carving Jack-O'-Lanterns was introduced by Irish immigrants. In Ireland, Jack-O'-Lanterns were carved into potatoes or turnips (really!). After arriving in America, the Irish discovered that pumpkins are way easier to carve.