CB11-FF.21

Oct. 26, 2011

Thanksgiving Day: Nov. 24, 2011

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, as 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.

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.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/TurkRaisSu/TurkRaisSu-09-23-2011.pdf>,

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-28-2011.pdf>

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 (30.0 million), Arkansas (30.0 

million), Missouri (18.0 million), Virginia (17.5 million) and Indiana (16.0 million). These six 

states together account for about two-thirds of U.S. turkeys produced in 2011.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service,

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/TurkRaisSu/TurkRaisSu-09-23-2011.pdf>

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.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service,

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/Cran/Cran-08-16-2011.pdf>
2.4 billion pounds

The total weight of sweet potatoes — another popular Thanksgiving side dish — produced by 

major sweet potato producing states in 2010. North Carolina (972 million pounds) produced 

more sweet potatoes than any other state. 

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service 

<http://quickstats.nass.usda.gov/results/E8F91E0D-30B4-305E-AA3C-0ABADBFB95A2>,

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProdSu/CropProdSu-01-12-

2011_new_format.pdf>

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.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service,

<http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/VegeSumm/VegeSumm-01-27-2011.pdf>

If you prefer cherry pie, you will be pleased to learn that 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 (210.0 million pounds) will be produced in Michigan.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service,

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CherProd//2010s/2011/CherProd-06-23-2011.pdf>

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. 

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service,

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/SmalGraiSu/SmalGraiSu-09-30-2011.pdf>

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. 

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service,

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/Vege/Vege-09-02-2011.pdf>
$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.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/>

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.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture as cited in the Statistical Abstract of the United States: 

2012, Tables 217 and 218, <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

The Price is Right

$1.38

Retail cost per pound of a frozen whole turkey in December 2010.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as cited in the Statistical Abstract of the United States: 

2012, Table 733, <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>

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.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census <http://factfinder2.census.gov/>

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 side 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).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census <http://factfinder2.census.gov/>

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. And then there is 
Mayflower, Ark., whose population was 2,234 in 2010, and Mayflower Village, Calif., whose 

population was 5,515 in 2010.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census <http://factfinder2.census.gov/>

116.7 million 

Number of households across the nation — all potential gathering places for people to celebrate 

the holiday.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census <http://factfinder2.census.gov/>

Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features

series:

African-American History Month (February) Labor Day 

Super Bowl Grandparents Day 

Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)

Women’s History Month (March) Unmarried and Single Americans Week 

Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/ Halloween (Oct. 31)

 St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) (November) 

Older Americans Month (May) Veterans Day (Nov. 11)

Cinco de Mayo (May 5) Thanksgiving Day 

Mother’s Day The Holiday Season (December) 

Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)

Father’s Day 

The Fourth of July (July 4)

Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26)

Back to School (August)

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling 

variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an 

observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to 

the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; fax: 301-763-3762; or e-mail: 

<pio@census.gov>.