This is Sue Jones coming at you with the answer of Pumpkin Center. Don't mean to take Chris' place when it comes to history. Punkin Center, where it got its name. According to Minnie (Presley) Benge, born 1910. She is a ripe young age of 92 (present time she is 97 years young) she has lived in Dizney, Ky all of her life. She had a Uncle by the name of Ben Wynn (bachelor fellow) Ben was from Virginia. He worked in a coal mines in Virginia. He was paid in Silver Dollars. Old Ben Wynn would cross the mountain (Bonnie Blue) from Virginia into Kentucky and walk through the mountains to Dizney. He gave Minnie his Silver Dollars to keep for him. She kept them in an old coffee can. When Old Ben got enough Silver Dollars saved he went out and bought himself a Phonograph (what we call today a record player.) The old timers did enjoy their music. Minnie said it looked like a sewing maching. Old Ben decided he wanted himself a record so he goes and buys a record by Uncle Dave Mackon, this record looked like a tin can. The name of the song was "Punkin Center", wouldn't you know it. Uncle Ben Wynn liked this song so much, he started calling Dizney "Punkin Center" so I guess the name stuck. This is a true story as to by Minnie who still lives in Punkin Center in a little house next to the Baptist Church. Now you have the story of Punkin Center - Dizney, Ky.
Extra history, Old Uncle Ben finally came back to Dizney from Va. and opened a small grocery store in what they call "Stretch Neck Holler. Old Ben Wynn is buried at Bill's Creek cemetary. I don't know how "Stretchneck Holler" got its name. Hope you enjoy this story. I told this exactly the way Minnie told it to me. By: Sue Jones October 28, 2002
Elijah Frank Dizney, who was the head instructor at the Presbyterian, Black Mountain Accademy, which had been built in Evarts. This academy of higher education was the predecessor of Evarts High School. By: Chris Jones October 28, 2002
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