In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims, early settlers of Plymouth Colony, held a three-day feast to celebrate a bountiful harvest. For many it was considered the first Thanksgiving.

In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November as a national day of thanksgiving. Here are some thanksgiving facts polled by the United States Census Bureau:

• In 2011, 248 million turkeys were raised in the United States. They weighed 7.11 billion pounds.
• The total weight of sweet potatoes — another popular Thanksgiving side dish — produced by major sweet potato producing states in 2011 is estimated to be 2.4 billion pounds.
• Illinois led the country in pumpkin production by producing 427 million pounds of the vined orange gourd. Pumpkin patches in California, Pennsylvania and New York each produced at least 100 million pounds.
• If you prefer cherry pie, you will be pleased to learn that the nation’s forecasted tart cherry production for 2011 totals 266.1 million pounds.
• The Number of households across the nation — all potential gathering places for people to celebrate the holiday?  116.7 million.

Happy Turkey Day!

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census