To modern Americans, the fourth Thursday of November usually means three things: family, football, and feasting. But the centuries-old tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving with a big turkey dinner and plenty of pie has a fascinating history dating all the way back to the 1600s. We’ve scoured the photo archives to reveal how Thanksgiving dinners have changed throughout history.

Click or scroll through our gallery and feast your eyes on some of the oldest images of Thanksgiving meals that exist today.

Thanksgiving is believed to originate from 1621, when English colonists and Indigenous Wampanoag people supposedly shared a harvest feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared the fourth Thursday of each November an official Thanksgiving holiday; this illustration shows staff working together to prepare a Thanksgiving meal in 1890. However, Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated by everyone. In 1970, the United American Indians of New England declared it a National Day of Mourning, and it continues to be marked in this way by many.

While some elements of today’s Thanksgiving meals are decidedly modern, others have been part of the feast since the beginning. Recipes for sides such as stuffing and gravy date back hundreds of years; a stuffing recipe appears in American Cookery, a 1796 cookbook by Amelia Simmons, and the first written mention of gravy appeared in a British book, The Forme of Cury, from 1390. Turkey has always been a popular centerpiece, although early feasts would have featured several types of meat. In this 19th-century wood engraving of a family meal, a suckling pig can be seen alongside the turkey.

Thanksgiving dinner was regularly depicted in political cartoons in the 19th century. For cartoonists, a national celebration involving a feast of plenty (for those who could afford it) presented the perfect opportunity for satire. In this 1899 cartoon from Puck magazine, Uncle Sam and John Bull – personifications of the US and the UK – clink glasses across the table, joined by a woman who may represent Germany. Meanwhile, figures embodying Russia and France are left out. The Thanksgiving table is still a common setting for political cartoons today.

The writer Sarah Josepha Hale played an important role in popularizing the Thanksgiving turkey dinner, as well as in cementing the event as a national holiday. Her 1827 novel Northwood featured a meal of roast turkey, stuffing, and gravy. This 1859 illustration shows how the bird took center stage in the 19th century. Later, as the editor of the magazine Godey’s Lady Book, Hale not only printed recipes for pumpkin pie, but also wrote to Abraham Lincoln campaigning for an annual holiday – helping to convince him to establish an official Thanksgiving.

The tradition of sending a bird to the president started unofficially in 1873, when Rhode Island farmer Horace Vose (pictured in 1902) presented a dressed turkey to Ulysses S. Grant. This continued each year, and with nine subsequent presidents, until Vose's death in 1913. This sparked a turkey free-for-all, in which farmers competed to supply the annual holiday turkey to the president.

Victorians were known for holding lavish feasts, and Thanksgiving dinner in this era was a luxurious affair – for those who could afford it. By the late 1800s, the holiday had become popular enough that some of New York City’s most exclusive hotels and clubs started offering special menus to celebrate the day. Alongside roast turkey, you’d also find dishes such as seafood bisque, saddle of mutton, grilled sweetbreads, and even terrapin. In this 1891 illustration by artist William Thomas Smedley, a family enjoys a hearty Thanksgiving dinner in the Big Apple.

Historian Elizabeth Pleck describes rowdy, carnivalesque celebrations where poorer children and 'lower-class males' would demand treats from the upper classes – who would themselves enjoy a family meal in private later on. By the early 20th century, the holiday was becoming more broadly associated with family across different social and cultural backgrounds, though many still couldn’t afford a big bird. This 1904 photo shows working men gathering for a Thanksgiving barbecue in Moscow, Washington state.

Pies have long held an important place on the Thanksgiving table (or, for this family, a side table big enough to accommodate the array on offer). Pumpkin pie is believed to have been a staple for the occasion since the early 18th century. Mince pies – a popular Christmas tradition with British roots – were also popular. This family has both, plus an apple pie for good measure. 

One fascinating Thanksgiving tradition that has mostly been forgotten is ‘masking,’ a practice that’s similar to trick or treating but actually predates the Halloween custom in the US by a few decades. Poorer people, and particularly children, would dress up in fantastical – and sometimes grotesque – costumes and go door-to-door in wealthier neighborhoods begging for candy, fruit, and money. This photograph, taken during the 1910s, shows four youths dressed up for the occasion in New York City.

As the holiday became more widespread across the US, celebrations became common outside hearth and home. This photo, dated 1910, shows elementary school pupils gathering around long tables for a traditional turkey meal. How that looked was changing a little too, particularly with the addition of different side dishes. In 1917, the trend for sweet potato casserole, topped with marshmallows, is believed to have been started by the Angelus Marshmallow company, which came up with the recipe for a promotional booklet.

With thousands of soldiers returning from service after World War I and a global Spanish flu pandemic raging, Thanksgiving in 1918 was a little different than usual. As shown in this photo, taken at a feast for the occasion in New York City, charity organizations throughout the country hosted dinners for troops unable to return home to their families.

The idea of Thanksgiving as a family tradition, and particularly of 'grandma' leading the meal preparations, had become deeply ingrained in the nation’s psyche. Celebrations with several generations present, and often with friends and neighbors invited, were commonplace in the 1920s. Another Thanksgiving tradition to begin this decade was the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which started in 1924. From the 1940s, when it was first broadcast on television, it became essential post-dinner viewing.

By the late 1920s, electric ovens were becoming more widely available in homes and began to replace gas ovens as the cookers of choice. The new technology meant the temperature was easier to control, so foods tended to cook more evenly, making a perfectly cooked turkey more achievable. This photographic print, dated 1923, depicts a typical Thanksgiving spread with formal place settings, a huge turkey, and the classic fruit bowl centerpiece.

By the 1930s, the holiday was deeply rooted in the collective consciousness – and now celebrities were getting in on the act. This 1930s photo shows actor, singer and dancer (and later diplomat) Shirley Temple carving a Thanksgiving turkey in a publicity shot. Stars posing for Thanksgiving pictures, with or without their families, became a regular occurrence.

As the US emerged from the ravages of the Great Depression and began to recover thanks to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal of 1933, the president was keen to keep the economy as healthy as possible. So, with Thanksgiving due to fall on 30 November in 1939, FDR (pictured with wife Eleanor) signed an executive order moving the holiday forward by a week, so there would be more shopping days between the celebration and Christmas. It was moved back to the fourth Thursday in 1941.

As the celebration got bigger, so did the turkeys. Partly as a reaction to the deprivation of the Great Depression and wartime rationing, Thanksgiving became associated with 'Freedom from Want' – one of four freedoms outlined by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as worth fighting for, and immortalized in a 1943 Norman Rockwell painting. This photo shows one Mrs. T. M. Crouch basting her 20lb turkey in Ledyard, Connecticut.

Thanksgiving was once again interrupted by World War II. For airmen like these two, serving in the UK in 1942, Thanksgiving was a way to stay in touch with home. Both the US military and various host countries saw fit to ensure everyone could still enjoy Thanksgiving, no matter where they were – and they celebrated in different ways. These men are seen serving dinner to orphaned and underprivileged children in London. Meanwhile, London’s Westminster Abbey also welcomed thousands of US military personnel for a Thanksgiving feast.

Back in the US, ration cards were issued for the first time during the war in 1942. Only sugar was rationed at first, but the addition of meat, cheese, butter, and canned foods meant that clever cooks had to save up their stamps and get creative with substitutions. Although turkey was never rationed, many birds were sent to those serving overseas, so they were scarce. Many people had to stay close to home, too – travel by train was discouraged, and driving long distances was made difficult by gasoline and tire rationing.

In the 1920s, turkey farmers continued to bombard the White House with birds every Thanksgiving, each desperate to be the one to supply the president's dinner. When Calvin Coolidge assumed office in 1923, he was so alarmed at the number of turkeys being offered that he stopped the tradition. Relenting in 1925, he was bombarded with an unusual selection of animals to eat, including a live raccoon. (Named Rebecca by the first lady, Grace, she became a beloved pet.) The poultry industry's official National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation is a tradition that began in 1947, under President Harry S. Truman (pictured).

Cranberry sauce is as essential at Thanksgiving as it is at Christmas. Canned cranberry sauce was first sold by Ocean Spray in 1912, to make use of berries that had been damaged during harvest and sorting. The wet harvest method, where farmers flood bogs to loosen the berries, began in the 1930s – making the product more commercially viable. By the early 1940s, cans were sold nationwide and throughout the year. In this photo from the 1950s, a woman finishes her turkey with a ring of cranberry sauce.

Turkey and all the trimmings might be the typical Thanksgiving dinner, but not for everyone. The family focus of the holiday gave it broad appeal, and the tradition of gathering for the celebration was adopted by people of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. This Italian American family is shown feasting on a Thanksgiving meal of spaghetti, cheese, bread, and wine.

A gleaming golden-brown turkey wasn’t enough for some families, as the trend for dressing the plate – and bird – grew more popular. This 1950s centerpiece is plated up with candied apples, and the turkey legs are capped with frills or 'booties.' These became a popular way of disguising the less appetizing-looking bones, and also an extra fancy flourish.

Platters of fruit were often placed in the center of the table to add to the bountiful spread, as shown in this image of a family saying grace before tucking into their turkey (plus sides including buttered peas, celery sticks, stuffed olives, and warm dinner rolls). Families would also dust off elaborate candlesticks to add to the extravagant display.

Thanksgiving was responsible for one of the most significant changes in household eating habits of the 20th century. Well, in a way. The first TV dinner was invented in 1953, and the idea was sparked by leftovers from the big meal. Swanson had misjudged the amount of turkey it would sell for Thanksgiving that year, and salesperson Gerry Thomas came up with the idea to use the meat in frozen turkey dinners.

In 1955, one advert changed Thanksgiving tables forever. Campbell Soup Company shared a recipe for green bean casserole (then named green bean bake), made with its Cream of Mushroom soup and topped with crispy fried onions. The side dish, created by employee Dorcas Reilly, proved a huge hit, and the recipe is now viewed around four million times each Thanksgiving.

Roasting a turkey wasn’t a quick affair, especially if families wanted to achieve a bird as deliciously golden and glossy as the one shown in this photograph (depicting a family in the 1960s). It was typical to roast a turkey low and slow for eight or nine hours, basting at regular intervals to ensure a crisp skin and moist, tender meat. The 1960s also saw the introduction of timers inserted into the center of the turkey, which were designed to 'pop out' once it reached the optimum temperature.

Celebrations had gone full technicolor by the 1960s – and garnishes, table settings, and side dishes became more colorful and elaborate, too. Here, a woman stands proudly over a very shiny turkey, which is surrounded by bushy bundles of parsley, and pineapple with glacé cherries. Offering finger food – such as these deviled eggs, olives, and crustless sandwiches – was also popular.

By now, Thanksgiving had become a formal affair – and a chance to dress up – for many, with families donning their Sunday best before being seated at the table. This family of four takes the style stakes up a few notches, with smart suits and pristine dresses. Even the kids are super-smart, in a shirt and bowtie and a pretty dress.

The term 'Friendsgiving' might be relatively new – but the alternative Thanksgiving with friends certainly isn’t, as this particularly starry gathering at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, California shows. The 1973 Thanksgiving meal saw the club filled with long tables, seated with guests including John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz, singer Anne Murray and Alice Cooper.

The day isn’t always about people filling themselves with turkey and sides. For some, it’s an opportunity to help others by donating and distributing food to individuals and families who might struggle to afford a luxurious meal. This 1978 photo shows a group of IBM employees volunteering to give away dinners to disadvantaged families in the Washington DC area.

Butterball, which became the bestselling turkey brand in the 1970s, kept up its clever marketing campaign by launching its Turkey Talk-Line in 1981. It started with six home economists answering phone calls relating to turkey-cooking queries. Around 11,000 people called in, and today there are more than 50 experts fielding more than 100,000 calls about defrosting, stuffing, basting, and carving.

Thanksgiving turkeys have been gifted to US presidents since the late 19th century, but the question of who pardoned the first bird has been much debated. Some point to JFK, who spared a turkey’s life in 1963 with the quip: “We’ll just let this one grow.” However, according to the official White House History website, it was George H.W. Bush who formally started the annual tradition, in 1989.

Thanksgiving has largely remained a family affair, and it's traditionally a time when people get together for a meal and to give thanks. In this photograph from the 1990s, a family of four in Austin, Texas, shares a roast turkey with traditional sides like dinner rolls and mashed potatoes.

Cooking techniques shifted in the 1990s, largely thanks to Martha Stewart. The domestic lifestyle doyenne helped to popularize deep-fried turkey, which had been around for decades, by featuring it on the cover of her November 1996 issue of Martha Stewart Living. The trend for brining the bird before roasting, for juicier meat, also became more commonplace after Cook's Illustrated magazine advocated the technique in a 1997 article.

As increasing numbers of people turned vegetarian or vegan, it became more necessary to have meat-free options at Thanksgiving. That could mean extra helpings of sides, alternatives like nut roasts and vegetable bakes, or – from the mid-1990s – Tofurky. The plant-based turkey alternative, launched by Turtle Island Foods in 1995, is made from wheat and tofu. It offered an easy way for big families to cater for any meat-free members, and it became a feature in PETA campaigns involving lettuce-clad ladies handing out Tofurky sandwiches.

Thanksgiving continues to be a time to think of others – and for many, that means volunteering at homeless shelters, food banks, charities, and missions. Celebrities often play their part, too; pictured here are actors Alyssa Milano and Jennifer Love Hewitt volunteering at the Los Angeles Mission Thanksgiving meal in 2003, dishing up turkey and mashed potatoes to diners.

This Mexican American Thanksgiving spread shows how people continue to bring influences from their various cultures into their celebrations. The main event tends to be the traditional turkey with stuffing, cranberries and other typical sides, but this offering also adds rice and other Mexican dishes. Tamales are a popular choice too, both on the Thanksgiving table and to make use of leftovers the next day.

The trimmings have long been an important part of the Thanksgiving feast, but the late 2010s saw a shift in trends for different side dishes. For the first time, mac 'n' cheese – continuing its bid for world dominance – made its way into the top 10 Thanksgiving sides in 2019, with 30% of Americans saying they typically serve the cheesy pasta. Some things never change, though, as mashed potatoes, pies, and dinner rolls remained the three favorites. Serving dinner buffet style also became more popular.

The main feature of Thanksgiving 2020 was whether people could, or should, get together at all due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some took advantage of relaxed restrictions for long-awaited gatherings, while others ate alone or swerved celebrations altogether. A report by TripAdvisor found 56% of Americans traveled during Thanksgiving, down 14% on the previous year. Many, like Steve and Jennifer Collis in Valrico, Florida (pictured), caught up with family and friends via video call.

The term 'Friendsgiving' has worked its way into the collective consciousness in the past few years. Some feast with friends in addition to the traditional family get-together, while others simply can't travel to family each year. Then there are those who regard their friends as family, choosing to have a potluck supper or casual celebration rather than follow traditions.

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Last updated by Laura Ellis.