Thanksgiving 1890

Turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pies, and a daunting amount of leftovers...turns out that Thanksgiving over 130 years ago wasn't so different from our celebrations today.

This festive trade card was issued in packs of Duke brand cigarettes in 1890. The card is part of the Jefferson R. Burdick collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

In what may be the first description of a Cuba City Thanksgiving, the local correspondent, who went by the pen name "Kuba Sity Kicker," submitted these notes for publication in the Galena Gazette on December 3, 1890:

"Well, to say the least, the "Kicker" just got through eating turkey gobler [sic] remnants to-day. Last Thursday, being set apart by the President, Governor and Mayor* of our city, as a day of Thanksgiving, we gathered together a few old coins and struck off for the Brooks' poultry packing house and got an old gobler. We had it "roasted" and served at dinner 6 p.m. We thought it was supper, or rather "tea" as some would prefer. We also had cranberry sauce, mince and pumpkin pies, and one or two other dishes, which are probably nameless as far as we are concerned. Well, on next morning we read that the President and several other great men had the same thing and we were so much better satisfied. But then, there is the real fact, we have been eating of the same gobler ever since Thanksgiving. We did think that we wouldn't get though [sic] with before Christmas, but we have, and the turkey is probably thankful for it. Our village generally observed the day, and but little business was done. The students at the Platteville Normal came home to eat turkey and returned Monday morning. Two young men of this place--we'll suppress names--went to North Andover to spend the day with the ladies of their choice."

*U. S. President Benjamin Harrison, Wisconsin William Dempster Hoard. Who the author was referring to as Cuba City mayor is uncertain, as the town was neither incorporated as a city or a village at this date. He could be referring to John Stephens, one of Cuba City's founders who remained active in the community and became the first official village president in 1891.