Many families have their own Thanksgiving traditions that they faithfully recreate each November—Grandma’s stuffing, Aunt Jean’s serving platter, homemade cranberry sauce, or an insistence upon the canned sauce with ridges. After the meal, it may be nap time or football time. But the most common tradition is cooking and eating a big, fat Thanksgiving turkey. The collections in the National Air and Space Museum Archives provide a cornucopia of images and information on the history of aviation and spaceflight, some with moments of Thanksgiving cheer. For example, in 1921, President Harding's turkey arrived via airplane and wearing goggles. A series of photographs from 1945 found in the John E. Parker Scrapbooks documents the Northwestern Aeronautical Corporation's turkey giveaway for employees in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Men unload a case of turkeys from a truck. In 1945, the Northwestern Aeronautical Corporation distributed bagged, holiday turkeys to its employees. This photograph comes from page 73 of wooden-covered scrapbook from the John E. Parker Collection.
Men with the Northwestern Aeronautical Corporation unload cases of turkeys from a truck. In 1945, the corporation distributed bagged holiday turkeys to its employees. Additional cases of turkeys are seen to the right of the working men. This photograph comes from page 72 of a wooden-covered scrapbook from the John E. Parker Collection.
Turkeys are stacked at the Northwestern Aeronautical Corporation prior to being distributed to employees. In 1945, the corporation distributed bagged holiday turkeys to its employees. This photograph comes from page 72 of a wooden-covered scrapbook from the John E. Parker Collection.
Employees of the Northwestern Aeronautical Corporation stand in line to receive their bagged, holiday turkeys. In 1945, the corporation distributed turkeys to its employees. This photograph comes from page 73 of a wooden-covered scrapbook from the John E. Parker Collection.
A male Northwestern Aeronautical Corporation employee hands a bagged turkey to another employee in 1945. The photograph comes from page 71 of a wooden covered scrapbook from the John E. Parker Collection.
Employees of the Northwestern Aeronautical Corporation display their holiday bagged turkeys. In 1945, the corporation distributed turkeys to its employees. This photograph comes from page 71 of a wooden-covered scrapbook from the John E. Parker Collection.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving traditions. Just remember, it's not advisable to drop turkeys from a helicopter.