Who's ready for turkey?

Thanksgiving, an enduring tradition in American culture, traces its origins back to 1621 when Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony celebrated a three-day feast to mark a bountiful harvest. This historic gathering is widely regarded as the nation's first Thanksgiving.

The tradition evolved over centuries, becoming a national holiday on Oct. 3, 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving. Decades later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt adjusted the date to the fourth Thursday of November to extend the holiday shopping season. This change remains in effect today, as some Novembers feature five Thursdays, such as the next one in 2028.

THANKSGIVING BY THE NUMBERS

While turkey dominates the centerpiece of Thanksgiving tables nationwide, its influence extends to geography. According to U.S. Census data, four places in the United States bear the name of the holiday's iconic dish: Turkey Creek, Louisiana (population 402); Turkey, Texas (325); Turkey, North Carolina (214); and Turkey Creek, Arizona (457).

For fans of cranberries, another Thanksgiving staple, five U.S. communities share the name per the data on www.census.gov. The largest is Cranberry Township in Butler County, Pennsylvania, home to 34,516 people. Venango County, Pennsylvania, also boasts a Cranberry Township, with a population of 6,242.

FEEDING THE NATION

As families gather to enjoy the feast, turkey remains the star of the menu. In 2024, six states were forecasted to lead the nation in turkey production, contributing 67% of the U.S. total. Minnesota topped the list with 33.5 million turkeys, followed by North Carolina (27.5 million), Arkansas (25 million), Indiana (20 million), Missouri (15.5 million) and Virginia (15.4 million), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Thanksgiving is also a time for bustling grocery stores and specialty markets to shine. In 2022, the United States was home to approximately 63,000 supermarkets and grocery stores, along with 2,800 baked goods shops and 3,900 fruit and vegetable markets.

This article incorporates data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 Population Estimates, 2022 County Business Patterns, QuickFacts and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service.