It must have been quite a sight to see two men, two dogs and 500 turkeys leave Hangtown amongst sneers and laughter from some who thought the ludicrous idea was doomed from the start. But an enterprising Californian, Henry C. Hooker, was not one to give up, even though the turkeys usually poked along as they headed east toward the Summit.
Wrote one scribe in jest: “The dogs hardly panted and Hooker’s horse even put on weight. Camp was made in the evening whenever the turkeys decided to stop. The little critters roosted on the ground.”
Turkeys were reportedly nonexistent in the Carson City area east of the Sierra and the hungry folks would pay anything to get the delicious holiday delicacy. But how turkeys got there in the first place is an incredible story. Read on…>
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