From the US Census Bureau:
Thanksgiving Day: Nov. 28, 2013
150th Anniversary of Lincoln Proclamation
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. The Wampanoag, the Indians in attendance, also played a lead role. Historians have 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 150 years ago (Oct. 3, 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
115 million
Number of occupied housing units across the nation in second quarter 2013
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership, Table 8 http://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/data/histtabs.html
4.4 million
Number of multigenerational households in the U.S. in 2012. These households, consisting of three or more generations, no doubt will have to purchase large quantities of food to accommodate all the family members sitting around the table for the holiday feast ─ even if there are no guests!
Source: 2012 American Community Survey, Table B11017
4
Number of places in the United States named after the holiday’s traditional main course. Turkey Creek, La., was the most populous in 2012, with 440 residents, followed by Turkey, Texas (415), Turkey, N.C. (295) and Turkey Creek, Ariz. (294). There are also two townships in Pennsylvania with “Turkey” in the name: Upper Turkeyfoot and Lower Turkeyfoot. (Please note that the Turkey Creek, Ariz., population total pertains to the 2010 Census).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Population Estimates and American FactFinder, Table DP-1, 2010 Census Summary File 1
http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012-3.html
http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/1600000US0477415
7
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 2012, with 28,832 residents. Cranberry township (Venango County), Pa., was next (6,608). (Please note that population totals for the two places on the list that are census designated places ─ Cranbury, N.J., with a population of 2,181, and Cranberry Lake, N.Y., with a population of 200 ─ pertain to 2010.)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Population Estimates and 2010 Census Summary File 1 http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/index.html http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?fpt=table
32
Number of counties, places and townships in the United States named Plymouth, as in Plymouth Rock, the landing site of the first Pilgrims***. The two counties, both named Plymouth, are in Massachusetts (2012 population of 499,759) and Iowa (24,907 in 2012).
***KJ Note: There is actually no historic documentation that this ever happened. The first written record that describes Plymouth rock is 121 years after the Pilgrims arrived in MA.
Plymouth, Minn., is the most populous place, with 72,928 residents in 2012; Plymouth, Mass., had 57,463 that year.
There are two places in the United States named Pilgrim: One, a township in Dade County, Mo., had a 2012 population of 127; the other, a census designated place in Michigan, had a 2010 population of 11. And then there is Mayflower, Ark., whose population was 2,312 in 2012, and Mayflower Village, Calif., whose population was 5,515 in 2010.
Note: Townships have been included in these counts from 12 states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin) where the primary governmental or administrative divisions of a county serve as general-purpose local governments that can perform the same governmental functions as incorporated places. These county subdivisons are known as minor civil divisions, and the Census Bureau presents data for these in all data products for which place data are provided.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census Summary File 1 http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?fpt=table
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?fpt=table
http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?fpt=table
2012 Population Estimates
Counties: http://www.census.gov/popest/data/counties/totals/2012/CO-EST2012-01.html
Cities and Towns: http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/index.html
Participants in the First Feast
25.3 million
Number of U.S. residents of English ancestry as of 2012. Some could very well be descendants of the Plymouth colonists who participated in the autumn feast that is widely believed to be one of the first Thanksgivings ─ especially the 684,000 living in Massachusetts.
Source: 2012 American Community Survey, Table B04003.
6,500
Number of members of the Wampanoag American Indian tribal grouping, as of 2010, roughly half of whom reside in Massachusetts. The Wampanoag, the American Indians in attendance, played a lead role in this historic encounter, and they had been essential to the survival of the colonists during the newcomers’ first year. The Wampanoag are a people who have occupied the region for thousands of years. They have their own government, their own religious and philosophical beliefs, their own knowledge system, and their own culture. They are also a people for whom giving thanks was a part of daily life. ***
*** KJ Note: In addition to the Wampanoag, Massachusetts is home to dozens of other Native American groups who were directly impacted by English settlement. Many Native American groups in Massachusetts and elsewhere in New England are not federally recognized, but may be recognized at the state level. The fourth Thursday of November every year also is known as the National Day of Mourning by many Native American groups in New England who protest Thanksgiving. This day serves as a reminder of the thousands of people who were already living in New England when the Pilgrims arrived, and the loss of life that occurred as a direct result of English colonization of the area.
Sources: 2010 Census American Indian and Alaska Native Summary File, Table DP-1 www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/2010_census/cb12-241.html; and
American Indian Perspectives on Thanksgiving, National Museum of the American Indian http://nmai.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/education/thanksgiving_poster.pdf.
Preparing the Feast … Enjoying the Day … and the Aftermath
98.6%
Percentage of households in 2011 with a gas or electric stove ─ essential for cooking their Thanksgiving feast. Another 96.8 percent had a microwave, also helpful in preparing the meal.
Source: Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States: 2011, Table 3 www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-136.pdf
98.3%
Percentage of households with a television in 2011. No doubt, many guests either before, after, or perhaps even during the feast will settle in front of their TVs to watch some football.
Source: Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States: 2011, Table 3 www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-136.pdf
35.8%
Percentage of households with a stand-alone food freezer in 2011, which they may want to use to preserve their Thanksgiving leftovers. Far more (99.2 percent) have a refrigerator. Once all the guests leave, it will be time to clean up. Fortunately, 69.3 percent have a dishwasher to make the task easier.
Source: Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States: 2011, Table 3 www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-136.pdf
Culinary Delights
64,366
The number of supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores in the United States in 2011. 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/
3,889
The number of baked goods stores in the United States in 2011 – 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/
2,918
The number of fruit and vegetable markets in the United States in 2011 – a great place to find holiday side dishes.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, NAICS Code 445230
http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/
254 million
The number of turkeys 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 raised 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), Indiana (17 million) and California (16 million). These seven states together accounted for about 70 percent 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
$23.1 million
The value of U.S. imports of live turkeys for 2012, with 99.8 percent of them coming from Canada. When it comes to sweet potatoes, the Dominican Republic was the source of 51.1 percent ($4.6 million) of total imports ($9.1 million). The United States ran a $17.6 million trade deficit in live turkeys during the period but had a surplus of $71.2 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 was 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 were also estimated to have substantial production, ranging from 14 to 54 million pounds.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service,
http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/Cran/Cran-08-14-2012.pdf
2.6 billion pounds
The total weight of sweet potatoes — another popular Thanksgiving side dish — produced by major sweet potato producing states in 2012. North Carolina (1.2 billion pounds) produced more sweet potatoes than any other state, followed by California, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProdSu/CropProdSu-01-11-2013.pdf