In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims, early settlers of Plymouth Colony, held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest, an event many regard as the nation’s first Thanksgiving.
Historians have also recorded ceremonies of thanks among other groups of European settlers in North America, including British colonists in Virginia in 1619. The legacy of thanks and the feast have survived the centuries.
The event became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving.
Later, President Franklin Roosevelt clarified that Thanksgiving should always be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of the month to encourage earlier holiday shopping, never on the occasional fifth Thursday.
The U.S. Census Bureau collected data about the day.
248 million
The number of turkeys expected to be raised in the United States in 2011. That’s up 2 percent from the number raised during 2010. The turkeys produced in 2010 together weighed 7.11 billion pounds and were valued at $ 4.37 billion.
46.5 million
The preliminary estimate of turkeys Minnesota is expected to raise in 2011. The Gopher State was tops in turkey production, followed by North Carolina (30 million), Arkansas (30 million), Missouri (18 million), Virginia (17.5 million) and Indiana (16 million). These six states together account for about two-thirds of U.S. turkeys produced in 2011.
Culinary delights
750 million pounds
The forecast for U.S. cranberry production in 2011. Wisconsin is expected to lead all states in the production of cranberries, with 430 million pounds, followed by Massachusetts (210 million). New Jersey, Oregon and Washington are also expected to have substantial production, ranging from 17 million to 54 million pounds.
2.4 billion pounds
The total weight of sweet potatoes — another popular Thanksgiving dish — produced by major sweet potato producing states in 2010. North Carolina (972 million pounds) produced more sweet potatoes than any other state.
1.1 billion pounds
Total production of pumpkins in the major pumpkin-producing states in 2010. Illinois led the country by producing 427 million pounds of the vined orange gourd. Pumpkin patches in California, New York and Ohio also provided lots of pumpkins. Each state produced at least 100 million pounds. The value of all pumpkins produced by major pumpkin-producing states was $117 million.
If you prefer cherry pie, the nation’s forecasted tart cherry production for 2011 totals 266.1 million pounds, up 40 percent from the 2010 production. Of this 2011 total, the overwhelming majority (210 million pounds) will be produced in Michigan.
2.01 billion bushels
The total volume of wheat — the essential ingredient of bread, rolls and pie crust — produced in the United States in 2011. Kansas, Montana and North Dakota accounted for about 33 percent of the nation’s wheat production.
656,340 tons
The 2011 contracted production of snap (green) beans in major snap (green) bean-producing states. Of this total, Wisconsin led all states (258,320 tons). Many Americans consider green bean casserole a traditional Thanksgiving dish.
$7.8 million
The value of U.S. imports of live turkeys from January through July of 2011 — 99.7 percent from Canada. When it comes to sweet potatoes, the Dominican Republic was the source of 60.1 percent ($3.2 million) of total imports ($5.3 million). The United States ran a $3.6 million trade deficit in live turkeys during the period but had a surplus of $41.7 million in sweet potatoes.
13.3 pounds
The quantity of turkey consumed by the typical American in 2009, with no doubt a hearty helping devoured at Thanksgiving time. Per capita sweet potato consumption was 5.3 pounds.
The price is right
$1.38
Retail cost per pound of a frozen whole turkey in December 2010.
Where to feast
4
Number of places in the United States named after the holiday’s traditional main course. Turkey Creek, La., was the most populous in 2010, with 441 residents, followed by Turkey, Texas (421), Turkey Creek, Ariz. (294), and Turkey, N.C. (292). There are also 11 townships around the country with Turkey in their names, including three in Kansas.
9
Number of places and townships in the United States that are named Cranberry or some spelling variation of the acidic red berry (e.g., Cranbury, N.J.), a popular dish at Thanksgiving. Cranberry township (Butler County), Pa., was the most populous of these places in 2010, with 28,098 residents. Cranberry township (Venango County), Pa., was next (6,685).
37
Number of places and townships in the United States named Plymouth, as in Plymouth Rock, the landing site of the first Pilgrims. Plymouth, Minn., is the most populous, with 70,576 residents in 2010; Plymouth, Mass., had 56,468. There is just one township in the United States named Pilgrim. Located in Dade County, Mo., its population was 132 in 2010.
Then there are Mayflower, Ark., whose population was 2,234 in 2010, and Mayflower Village, Calif., whose population was 5,515 in 2010.
116.7 million
Number of households across the nation — all potential gathering places for people to celebrate the holiday.
City closings for Thanksgiving
Most city government offices and facilities will be closed Thursday-Friday next week in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Closings include:
• City Hall at St. James, 117 W. Duval St.
• Ed Ball Building, 214 N. Hogan St.
• Jake M. Godbold City Hall Annex, 407 N. Laura St.
• Yates Building, 231 E. Forsyth St. The building houses the Office of the Tax Collector and The Office of the Property Appraiser. All tax collector branch offices also will be closed.
• Duval County Courthouse, 330 E. Bay St.
• Supervisor of Elections main office, 105 E. Monroe St., and branch office, 5200-2 Norwood Ave.
• Animal Care and Protective Services, 2020 Forest St.
• Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department administrative offices, 515 N. Julia St.
• Municipal Code Compliance, 128 E. Forsyth St.
• Recreation and Community Services Department offices, 214 N. Hogan St.
• All community and senior centers and gymnasiums managed by the Recreation and Community Services Department.
• Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park Nature Center, 7000 Roosevelt Blvd.
• Victim Services Center, 403 W. 10th St.
• Jacksonville Children’s Commission, 1095 A. Philip Randolph Blvd.
• Behavioral and Human Services Division Emergency Assistance office, 1809 Art Museum Drive.
• Right-of-Way and Grounds Maintenance administrative offices, 609 St. Johns Bluff Road.
• Solid Waste Division administrative offices, 1031 Superior St.
• Household Hazardous Waste Facility, 2675 Commonwealth Ave.
• The Ritz Theatre & Museum, 829 N. Davis St.
• Jacksonville Public Library (Main Library and branches). The Main Library and all branches will close at 6 p.m. Wednesday and will be closed Thursday-Friday.
Garbage, yard waste and recycling collection
Residential garbage, yard waste and recycling will not be collected on Thanksgiving Day. Residential garbage, yard waste and recycling normally collected on Thursday will be collected on Saturday.
For those who regularly receive Friday collection service, residential garbage, yard waste and recycling will be collected as usual on Friday. Appliances will not be collected Friday.
The Trail Ridge Landfill, 5110 U.S. Highway 301, will be closed on Thursday but will resume normal operating hours Friday. The Household Hazardous Waste Facility, 2675 Commonwealth Ave., will be closed on Thursday and Friday, but will resume normal operating hours Saturday.
Huguenot Memorial Park
Huguenot Memorial Park will maintain regular hours (8 a.m. - 6 p.m.) on Thursday and Friday. Day-use visitors may enter from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. All but permitted campers and their authorized visitors must depart by 6 p.m. Visitors of campers should pre-register with the office and acquire a visitor pass to stay in the park until 10 p.m. Camping reservations can be made by phone Monday–Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Periodically, Huguenot Memorial Park managers must implement limited beach parking plans in preparation for high tides or other natural occurrences which could cause beach and/or park closures if maximum vehicle capacity is reached. Park-goers are always encouraged to check conditions before visiting the park by calling 251-3335 or visiting www.jaxparks.com.
Kathryn Abbey, Hanna Park
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park will maintain regular hours (8 a.m.-6 p.m.) on Thursday and Friday. Park day-users and campground visitors may enter from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. All but permitted campers and their authorized visitors with permits must depart by 6 p.m.
Camping reservations close at 5 p.m. daily. Only campers with prepaid reservations can gain access from 5:30-9 p.m. People without a prepaid pass waiting for them will not be admitted after 5:30 p.m. All campers must check in by 9 p.m. and have tents set up by 9:30 p.m. After 9 p.m., no one may enter to set up on a campsite.
The Ritz Theatre & Museum
The Ritz Theatre & Museum, 829 N. Davis St., will be closed on Thursday and Friday, but will resume normal operating hours on Saturday.
Pools
The Cecil Aquatics Center, an indoor facility at 13611 Normandy Blvd., and the Cecil Gymnasium and Fitness Center, at 13531 Lake Newman St., will be closed Thursday and Friday but will resume normal operating hours on Saturday. All 33 outdoor city pools are closed for the season.
Tennis complexes
All three City tennis will be closed on Thursday. All three tennis complexes will be open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday and will resume normal operating hours for the remainder of the weekend.
They are the Southside Park Tennis Complex, 1541 Hendricks Ave.; Boone Park Tennis Complex, 3700 Park St.; and Clanzel T. Brown Park Tennis Complex, 4575 Moncrief Road.