Here's an e-mail response to this piece from Barnes' right-hand-man Steve Glorioso:

Enjoyed the Pitch's piece on old PC. However, Kay took a picture yesterday on her way to Maryville of the home in which her mother, Helen, was born IN Pumkin Center or as some in the area say, Punkin Center. There is still a family living in the house. PC shows on a map and some families still live there, even though the "town" was pushed aside for a highway as you reported.

There are still residents of the town just not as many as when Helen Morford was born. Evidently there is still a sign on the highway, but the remaining population like the family in Helen's childhood home now officially live in Maitland.
Steve Glorioso

Steve's right that, if you zoom out the Google maps satellite image, there does appear to be two structures a few miles awayout from what used to be the middle of Pumpkin Center. But the town of Pumpkin Center, according to historians and the U.S. Census, no longer exists.

I was with Kay yesterday when she spoke with people in Maryville and I think that it is worth mentioning that when Kay spoke of Pumpkin (Punkin) Center there was a sigh of acknowledgment from several people in the group who had either lived in Pumpkin Center before its demise or had family roots there. I am uploading a photo here of the sign that is still adorning the side of the highway. It may not be a town that is acknowledged by the U.S. Census, but according to the residents of the communities surrounding "Punkin" Center, it is still a town worth mentioning.

Anyone originally from northwest Missouri knows where Pumpkin Center was and is. Sure when they four laned US 71 it cut through the heart of town but it still exists. Does Sam Graves know where Pumpkin Center is? How about White Cloud, Clyde or Conception?

There is, in fact, a Punkin Center in Dunklin County, but I don't believe Ms. Barnes hails from here.

36.21.11.60 N, 89.58.58.44 W

FWIW, Punkin Center is 3 miles Southwest of Peach Orchard and 2 miles North of Sumach.

My grandfather and his brothers were born and/or raised in Punkin Center, MO. Several are buried in Barnard cemetary. We visit Punkin Center whenever we drive by on 71, even though that means pulling off the highway and onto a gravel road to get out and enjoy the scenery.
Having been a Republican most of my life, it is petty, stupid comments about a decent, well-meaning candidate like Kaye Barnes that has forced me to now welcome the Independant lable, with the intention of voting in the candidates that will work with others, not against them!

Thanks for helping Mr. Graves lose another vote!

KMBC Channel 9 picked up this story on its Web site yesterday. Check out the video, which includes a clip of Barnes giving a shout out to "Punkin' Center."

I am from Pumpkin Center. I grew up there and moved to Kansas City about 17 years ago. I lived 2 miles west. We used to stop for gas and run in for a candy bar at Collins Corner (the name of the gas station there). There was at one time two gas stations and I believe a hardware store and lumber yard, etc. MoDOT offered to relocate Collins Corner, but Wayne Collins, the owner, decided to go ahead and retire. Many of the folks that live around there, miss sitting around, drinking coffee and talking about the crops and the weather. Its where we would have the best grilled tenderloin in the country, drink Pepsi or Mountain Dew with Cashews in it, and find out all the local gossip.

Its sad to see it go, but such is progress. I am not really sure that this town was ever incorporated, but anybody from NW Missouri knows where Pumpkin Center is; however, with the gas station gone for almost a decade, there will be fewer people that remember. Our former Mayor is right to be proud of her roots as there are wonderful people from this area.

Hate to rain on Mr. Glorioso's parade, but the folks around Pumpkin Center are on the Barnard mail route - Maitland is 12 miles west, with the Graham Post Office between them and Pumpkin Center. Perhaps he needs to spend a little time with local maps - small town names are important to their residents, and woe to the political candidate who mixes them up when speaking in the area!

Punkin Center "a seedy little place" has great memories (as do all our home towns!) and pride in our past is very alive and well here. Were it not for the folks in the grassroots areas shere would any of us be? Think twice---and then again--- before you think we don't matter in the scheme of things.