Have you ever wondered how the turkey took center stage on many Thanksgiving dinner tables? It hasn’t always been so.
This native bird was once abundant in this country; according to Encyclopedia Britannica there were at least 10 million turkeys in America at the time of the Europeans’ arrival.
There is no mention of turkeys when reading about the legendary feast between Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians. The only known account from the time suggests they ate wildfowl, venison and fish. Turkey was unlikely served on that day.
The settlers did hunt and use turkeys as a food source. The bird became popular sometime in the 19th century. Due to the turkey’s size, an entire family could be fed for several days.
Turkeys became associated with Thanksgiving because they were plentiful, easy to handle, and provided a meal for many people. Credit is given to Josepha Hale, editor of Godey’s Book, who shaped modern Thanksgiving traditions. In her 1827 novel “Northwood,” she described a traditional Th...