A village called Sumberdadi, located in the heart of Sumbergempol District in Indonesia, has an interesting history that is not widely known. The village is geographically divided into two hamlets, Gempol and Selojeneng. Gempol is separated from Selojeneng by a railway line that runs from east to west or vice versa, and it also has a train station called Sumbergempol Station. The district name is derived from the name of one of the hamlets in Sumberdadi, which is Gempol. However, the reason why Gempol was chosen as the name for the district instead of Selojeneng or Sumberdadi is not clear.



According to the locals, Gempol is the name of a type of tree, Nauclea orientalis, that used to grow in the area where Dusun Gempol now stands. The tree was famous because it grew near a spring that never ran dry, even during the dry season. The spring could only be stopped by plugging it with a type of rope called sodo lanang. The hamlet and train station were named after the tree.


The name of the village, Sumberdadi, is also related to the tree. The locals believe that the village got its name from the spring that flowed under the Gempol tree. The village was established by Mbah Iro Dermo, who tried to settle in the area but was discouraged by the swampy conditions caused by the spring. He tried to block the spring with soil and rocks but failed. Finally, he used kapas pohon aren and selo, two types of plants, to plug the spring, and this was successful. The village got its name from the spring, which is called sumber in Indonesian, and the Gempol tree.


Overall, the history of Sumberdadi and Gempol is closely linked to the Gempol tree and the spring that flows under it. The story has been passed down through generations, and although there is no written evidence to support it, the locals firmly believe in it.