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SALT LAKE CITY — We all know the story of the first Thanksgiving in 1621, even though the history of it is far from the one many originally learned in elementary school.
From that, it began to be a holiday celebrated by communities and states. New York became the first state to declare Thanksgiving a holiday in 1817. It was eventually declared a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863.
Utah didn’t recognize Thanksgiving until 1851, when Brigham Young, then-governor of the Utah Territory, declared Jan. 1, 1852, a “day of praise and Thanksgiving.” However, this wasn’t the first time pioneers celebrated Thanksgiving since arriving in the valley in July 1847.
The pioneers first celebrated Thanksgiving in 1848, as documented by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This, unlike now where Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of each November, was held on Aug. 10.
Children arose early that day; girls helped mothers prepare desserts while boys helped pluck vegetables from gardens. They brought these to a building in the Salt Lake Valley for a large feast. At 9 a.m. that morning, a white flag was raised to start the Thanksgiving festivities.
Meanwhile, a band played music and people cheered “Hosanna to God and the Lamb, forever and ever, amen” when the flag reached the top of the pole, according to the church.
The crowd then sang a song written by Parley P. Pratt, an LDS apostle, titled “Harvest Song.” Following that, many of the LDS Church leaders spoke and prayer was given to bless the food prepared for the feast.
At noon, the pioneers ate a dinner of beef, cheese, corn, bread and vegetables — slightly different from the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes now seen at many Utahns’ Thanksgiving feasts. At 2 p.m., the food was cleared and the pioneers enjoyed dancing as a band played music.
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be celebrated again until 1852, and it has been celebrated in Utah ever since.
