Sunday Favorites: Historic Thanksgiving Traditions

While some folks love to claim that Ponce de León and his 1513 expedition were the first to celebrate Thanksgiving in Florida, James W. Baker, author of "Thanksgiving: The Biography of an American Holiday," politely disagrees. According to Baker, these early "Thanksgiving-like" events were more about explorers crossing the ocean and thanking their lucky stars they didn’t end up as fish food—not exactly the turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie affair we’re used to today. So, while Ponce de León may have enjoyed a feast to mark his safe arrival, it wasn’t the "first" Thanksgiving, and it certainly didn’t lead to the beloved holiday of family chaos, food comas, and football that we know and love​ today. 

Dan C. Coarsey's boat trip may have looked similar to this photo of a group of people at Rye Bridge.

Cow hunters camp at Myakka circa 1910.

Archie Rutledge rides a horse.

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Not to be outdone by the Pilgrims, Florida, boasts Thanksgiving traditions unlike any other state. While the modern Thursday Thanksgiving is rooted in New England’s Puritan customs rather than a singular “first Thanksgiving,” Floridians have certainly added their unique flair to the holiday. From outdoor feasts under sunny skies to incorporating local flavors like seafood and key lime pie, Florida’s take on Thanksgiving reflects its distinctive environment and culture.

It’s not everywhere that you can feast outdoors, but in early 20th-century Florida, Thanksgiving picnics and river excursions were a cherished tradition. According to a November 18, 1978, interview with Dan C. Coarsey conducted by Carl B. King for the Manatee County Historical Society, Coarsey recounted a Thanksgiving trip from his childhood in 1906–1907. At the age of 11 or 12, his family embarked on a journey up the Manatee River in a 15-foot boat named Rosalia.

The boat was captained by a young man nicknamed “Titanic,” who entertained his passengers by suggesting they shoot at objects in the water. During the trip, someone shot a stingray, and Titanic attempted to haul it aboard but was stung. The only remedy available was a bottle of whiskey, which the crew used to ease Titanic’s pain.

Feasting wasn’t the only outdoor tradition; much like modern-day turkey frying in driveways, in the 1930s early Florida cow hunters prepared their Thanksgiving meals in the open air. Using pine knots for fire and Dutch ovens, they cooked turkeys brought back from nearby homes. On the open range, keeping track of the day wasn’t a priority, so according to Archie Rutledge, one of the few Black cow hunters in Manatee County, they often celebrated Thanksgiving spontaneously.

In an interview conducted on January 22, 1980, by Joe G. and Libby Warner, Rutledge described how cowboys maintained their holiday spirit even during hard, demanding work. If they were on the prairie on Thanksgiving, they boiled a turkey and prepared a rice-based "perlou.”These improvised feasts highlight how early Florida cow hunters preserved traditions even in the most rugged conditions. 

Other holiday traditions in early Florida (circa 1910s) often included camping. In a 1985 interview with Joe G. and Libby Warner, Lois Rasmussen shared how her family celebrated Thanksgiving by camping in the area now known as Myakka River State Park, near the upper reservoir. For their Thanksgiving feast, the family would hunt, catch, and kill their own meal—Rasmussen herself caught frogs with her bare hands, fished in the lake, and scaled and filleted the fish. Friends and family would join in, and by the end of the day, they had a hearty spread of wild turkey, squirrel, fish, swamp cabbage, and “anything else you want to mention.” 

While Florida may not be the site of the "first" Thanksgiving, it has certainly developed its unique traditions. From spontaneous feasts in the wild, as described by early cow hunters like Archie Rutledge, to picnics on the Manatee River and outdoor camping meals in Myakka, Florida’s Thanksgiving celebrations reflect the state’s rugged spirit and vibrant culture. Whether using pine knots for cooking or catching frogs with bare hands, these traditions highlight the ingenuity and resourcefulness of Floridians, making the Sunshine State’s Thanksgiving as distinctive as its landscape.