About Pumpkinvine Nature Trail
Who are the Friends of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail?
- Buying land to fill gaps in the trail
- Marketing, promotion and fundraising
- Surveying trail usage
- Maintaining this website
- Coordinating volunteers
- Providing grant funding for projects, materials, amenities, etc.
- Convening the Pumpkinvine Advisory Committee that coordinates trail management.
Our History
The Friends: 30 Years of Persistence
1975
Elkhart County Park Master plan (1979-83) includes Pumpkinvine as possible linear park.
December 4, 1989
Ad hoc committee of Ervin Beck, Norm Kauffmann, John Kolbys, Chet Peachey, and John Yoder meet to discuss promoting a linear park on Pumpkinvine right-of-way. Galen Kauffmann joins the group next month.
March 11, 1992
C.J. Yoder, Chuck Lehman, and John Yoder evaluate the Pumpkinvine's condition.
May 1992
Ad hoc committee incorporates as Friends of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, Inc.
June 3, 1992
Friends sign option to purchase with Penn Central.
March 11, 1993
Jim Brotherson attorney with Chester, Paff, and Brotherson, Elkhart law firm, offers to represent the Friends of the Pumpkinvine pro bono. He recruits Jim Byron of Thorne, Grodnik, Ransel, Duncan, Byron, & Hostetler to his legal team.
October 22, 1993
Penn Central agrees to sell Pumpkinvine corridor for $100,000. Friends raise $60,000 and borrow $40,000 to reach that goal. Eighty-five individuals and businesses contribute $500 each to be recognized as trail founders.
December 22, 1993
Friends and Penn Central have closing at Schrock Pavilion in Shanklin Park.
January 13, 1994
Friends file lawsuit on Pumpkinvine corridor between SR 4 and CR 28 to determine ownership.
September 2, 1994
Judge Worth Yoder rules that the Friends own Pumpkinvine corridor from SR 4 to CR 28. Friends and Goshen Parks determine to make this 1.75-mile section a linear park demonstration section.
July 1995
Friends file lawsuit to determine ownership of the Pumpkinvine corridor on eight-mile section of the Pumpkinvine corridor between US 20 and CR 850W in LaGrange County.
October 4, 1997
Norm Kauffmann resigns from Friends board to become Shipshewana town manager.
June 14, 1999
Friends of the Pumpkinvine donate 1.75 miles of Pumpkinvine between SR 4 and CR 28 to the City of Goshen.
March 2, 2000
First 1.5-mile section of the Pumpkinvine between Wayne St. and Bristol Street opens in Middlebury.
September 17, 2005
Half-mile section of the Pumpkinvine between Wayne St. and Bristol Street opens in Middlebury.
June 6, 2009
Grand opening of 3.3 miles of the Pumpkinvine between CR 28 to CR 33.
October 8, 2011
Grand opening of 5.5 miles of the Pumpkinvine between Middlebury and Shipshewana.
June 2012
1.4-mile section of Pumpkinvine between CR 35 and CR 37 is completed.
October 5, 2013
Ribbon cutting for Pumpkinvine from US20 to Wayne St. in Middlebury.
June 15, 2019
One-mile section of the Pumpkinvine between CR 33 and CR 20 opens.
May 2, 2022
Ribbon cutting from 850 W into downtown Shipshewana
The Pumpkin Vine Railroad
Development

Recognition & Awards

1997

2004

2011

2013

2014

2014
Board of Directors
Friends of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, Inc.

Phil Mason
President
John Ferguson
Board Member
Cory Wilson
Treasurer
Melissa Vought
Administrative Manager
Robert Carrico
Board Member
Roger Miller
Maintenance Committee Chair
Doug VonGunten
Board Member
Jared Beasley
Board Member