40 years ago: The biggest pumpkins aren’t always the tastiest

From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Oct. 2, 1972:

  • Rex Roberts, 527 Lake, was pictured on the front page with a couple of mammoth pumpkins grown in his garden this summer. The giant pumpkins, weighing 170 and 135 pounds, were of the “Big Max” variety. Roberts said that they were the largest he had ever raised, but he doubted they would be tasty enough for human consumption.
  • Downtown, the Massachusetts Street renovation project marched on. Workers were setting their sights on excavating the intersection of Seventh and Massachusetts while opening half the Eighth and Mass crossing and the 800 block early next week. The 1000 block was to be reopened in about a week and a half. Contract stipulations prohibited the contractors from closing more than one intersection and two blocks at a time, so the work was being done in a staggered fashion