North America was turkey turf millions of years before the Pilgrims stepped onto Plymouth Rock. The fossil record contains evidence of turkeys in the New World for ten million years. In fact, more than 700 specimens of a species of turkey have been found in California's La Brea tar pits.

The Wild Turkey has had a long relationship with America's Native peoples. The turkey provided food and feathers for many American Indians. However, since turkeys flee rapidly at the approach of danger, not all groups ate turkey because they feared it would make them cowardly. Turkey feathers were used to stabilize arrows and decorated many ceremonial objects.

In the pueblos of the American Southwest, the turkey was held sacred. It wasn't eaten even in times of famine. Turkey skeletons have been found at some primitive gravesites along with offerings of corn to the dead birds. The Navajo people tell of a huge turkey that brought them corn and taught them how to grow it. A turkey also rescued their ancestors from a flood. The white tips of the bird's tail feathers are its badge of honor for braving the raging waters.

The Aztecs were the first humans to domesticate the turkey and considered the bird a supreme gift of tribute. The Emperor Montezuma received 365,000 turkeys each year from his people!