CB12-FF.23 

 Nov. 15, 2012 

Thanksgiving Day: Nov. 22, 2012 

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. 

Where to Feast

114.7 million 

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

the holiday. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancy Survey, Table 3 

<http://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/qtr312/q312press.pdf> 

4

Number of places in the United States named after the holiday’s traditional main course. Turkey 

Creek, La., was the most populous in 2011, with 440 residents, followed by Turkey, Texas (424), 

Turkey, N.C. (295) and Turkey Creek, Ariz. (294). There are also 11 townships around the 

country with Turkey in their names, including three in Kansas. (Please note that the Turkey 

Creek, Ariz., population total pertains to the 2010 Census). 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 Population Estimates and American FactFinder, Table DP-1 

<http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2011/SUB-EST2011-3.html> 

<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/1600000US0477415> 

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 

28,251 residents. Cranberry township (Venango County), Pa., was next (6,647). 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates 

<http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2011/SUB-EST2011-4.html> 
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 71,561 residents in 

2011; Plymouth, Mass., had 56,767. There is just one township in the United States named 

Pilgrim. Located in Dade County, Mo., its population was 131 in 2011. And then there is 

Mayflower, Ark., whose population was 2,298 in 2011, and Mayflower Village, Calif., whose 

population was 5,515 in 2010. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates 

<http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2011/SUB-EST2011-3.html> 

<http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2011/SUB-EST2011-4.html> 

Culinary Delights 

64,380 

The number of grocery stores in the United States in 2010. These establishments are expected to 

be extremely busy around Thanksgiving, as people prepare for their delightful meals. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS Code 44511 

<http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

4,030 

The number of baked goods stores in the United States in 2010 – a potential place to visit to 

purchase refreshing desserts. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS Code 445291 

<http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

2,979 

The number of fruit and vegetable markets in the United States in 2010 – a great place to find 

those holiday side dishes. 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS Code 445230 

<http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/>

$12.1 million 

The value of U.S. imports of live turkeys from January through July of 2012, with 99.8 percent 

of them coming from Canada. When it comes to sweet potatoes, the Dominican Republic was the 

source of 45.3 percent (2.5 million) of total imports ($5.6 million). The United States ran a $9.1 

million trade deficit in live turkeys during the period but had a surplus of $40.6 million in sweet 

potatoes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics 

<http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/> 
768 million pounds 

The forecast for U.S. cranberry production in 2012. Wisconsin is estimated to lead all states in 

the production of cranberries, with 450 million pounds, followed by Massachusetts (estimated at 

210 million). 

New Jersey, Oregon and Washington are also estimated to have substantial production, ranging 

from 14 to 54 million pounds. 

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 

<http://quickstats.nass.usda.gov/results/6B80CDAE-0790-3727-81CB-41F979DAD0C8> 

2.7 billion pounds 

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

major sweet potato producing states in 2011. North Carolina (1.3 billion pounds) produced more 

sweet potatoes than any other state. 

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProdSu/CropProdSu-01-12-2012.pdf> Page 

58 

1.1 billion pounds 

Total production of pumpkins in the major pumpkin-producing states in 2011. Illinois led the 

country by producing an estimated 520 million pounds of the vined orange gourd. Pumpkin 

patches in California, Pennsylvania and Ohio also provided lots of pumpkins: Each state 

produced at least 100 million pounds. The value of all pumpkins produced in the United States 

was $113 million. 

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 

<http://quickstats.nass.usda.gov/results/C985DC07-3AE1-397C-A18C-F811DDD42D20> 

<http://quickstats.nass.usda.gov/results/2FE80030-4016-3199-8AE9-9159BA83383B> 

If you prefer cherry pie, you will be pleased to learn that the nation’s forecasted tart cherry 

production for 2012 totals 73.1 million pounds, down 68 percent from the 2011 production. Of 

this 2012 total, Pennsylvania led the country, producing an estimated 34 million pounds. 

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CherProd/CherProd-06-28-2012.pdf> Page 1 

2.27 billion bushels 

The forecasted total volume of wheat — the essential ingredient of bread, rolls and pie crust — 

produced in the United States in 2012. Kansas, Montana and North Dakota accounted for an 

estimated 40 percent of the nation’s wheat production. 

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, The following data can be accessed 

through this website. 

<http://quickstats.nass.usda.gov/results/3A61136C-28A8-3C2A-A7EF-DA476776BD9F> 
672,370 tons 

The 2012 contracted production of snap (green) beans in the United States. Of this total, 

Wisconsin led all states (309,010 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-09-06-2012.pdf> Page 16 

254 million 

The number of turkeys expected to be raised in the United States in 2012. That is up 2 percent 

from the number raised during 2011. 

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/TurkRaisSu/TurkRaisSu-09-28-2012.pdf> 

46 million 

The estimate of turkeys Minnesota expects to raise in 2012. The Gopher State was tops in turkey 

production, followed by North Carolina (36 million), Arkansas (29 million), Missouri (18 

million), Virginia (17 million) and Indiana (17 million). These six states together account for 

about two-thirds of U.S. turkeys produced in 2012. 

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 

<http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/TurkRaisSu/TurkRaisSu-09-28-2012.pdf> 

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>.