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President Harding's Thanksgiving Turkey

Updated May 27, 2025
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President Harding's Thanksgiving Turkey
President Warren G Harding's Thanksgiving turkey being delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

The caption says that "President Harding should worry about the high cost of turkey - another Thanksgiving gobbler arrived at the White House today." (The box is addressed to President Harding. It is the gift of H.W. Mason of Crystal Springs Mississippi.)

Since the President didn't start pardoning turkeys until after the 1950's, this must be for the White House Thanksgiving dinner?

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress
Date & Place: at White House in Washington DC, District Of Columbia USA
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President Harding's (live) turkey dinner delivered by the USPS - back in the days when you could send live poultry through the mail??
Photo of Brin Ash Brin Ash
via Facebook
11/27/2014
Live poultry is still sent through the mail.
Photo of Rebecca Baur Rebecca Baur
via Facebook
11/28/2014
Chicks yes, but I doubt a live turkey of this size is now;)
Photo of Tommy Allan Lee Tommy Allan Lee
via Facebook
11/28/2014
You have to have approved boxes but 50pds is 50pds turkey or chickens .
Photo of Linda Hoey Linda Hoey
via Facebook
11/27/2014
Yes you can still send chicks in the mail :-)
Photo of Cathey Watkins Cathey Watkins
via Facebook
11/27/2014
Doesn't look like the other guy is helping very much.
Photo of Sylvia Williams Sylvia Williams
via Facebook
11/27/2014
Lol that's what I was thinking.
Photo of Sylvia Williams Sylvia Williams
via Facebook
11/27/2014
But I'm short like him and I think that is his problem. :)
Photo of Megan Cammilleri Megan Cammilleri
via Facebook
11/27/2014
He's the turkeys security guard
Photo of Tommy Allan Lee Tommy Allan Lee
via Facebook
11/27/2014
You can also mail adult birds in most cases . They go overnight pretty much . Most times your post office will call you bright and early to come pick them up .
Photo of Jennifer Drake Jennifer Drake
via Facebook
11/28/2014
I bet! Birds are so loud.
Photo of Tina Swift Tina Swift
via Facebook
11/27/2014
I actually buy live poultry in the mail. Also, you use to be able to ship children in the mail.
Photo of Tina Swift Tina Swift
via Facebook
11/27/2014
I've bought adolescent hens. Shipping is expensive.
Photo of Doll Paradise Doll Paradise
via Facebook
11/27/2014
You still can if it is sent overnight mail
Photo of Doll Paradise Doll Paradise
via Facebook
11/27/2014
I heard the chicks making noise while I was in the post office one day and the clerk told me live poultry can be mailed
Photo of Robyn McIntyre Robyn McIntyre
via Facebook
11/27/2014
In those days you could send a kid through the mail.
Photo of Glenda LaHaye Glenda LaHaye
via Facebook
11/27/2014
Right around the time you could ship a kid, too.
Photo of Carol Wheeler Carol Wheeler
via Facebook
11/27/2014
Oh yes you could !
Photo of Carol Wheeler Carol Wheeler
via Facebook
11/27/2014
Well I never ! Mail kids ! Thank you for sharing this.
You Can also buy Queen Honey Bees by mail called Nucs.
Photo of Dinah Whitaker Dinah Whitaker
via Facebook
11/28/2014
Is this a joke?
Photo of Brin Ash Brin Ash
via Facebook
11/28/2014
No, it's not a joke. It's history.
Photo of JoAnn Scarborough JoAnn Scarborough
via Facebook
11/28/2014
You mean we can't pick baby chicks up at the PO anymore?
Photo of Roy Dean Roy Dean
via Facebook
11/28/2014
You could mail your kids to the grandparents, too
Photo of J Eric Wise J Eric Wise
via Facebook
11/28/2014
At the dead letter office, what did they do with the live chickens?
Photo of Marion Radin Marion Radin
via Facebook
11/28/2014
It looks like the smaller man is doing all the lifting.
Photo of Jennifer Drake Jennifer Drake
via Facebook
11/28/2014
Now live turkeys do the delivering.
Photo of Theresa Poston Theresa Poston
via Facebook
11/28/2014
Cool
Photo of Deb Young Deb Young
via Facebook
11/28/2014
At first glance I thought this was a casket. I guess it is!
Photo of Harold Myers Harold Myers
via Facebook
11/28/2014
Yes when I worked there we had live chicks and other critters. NOW RETIRED LOVEN IT>
Photo of Nancy Murray Marxen Nancy Murray Marxen
via Facebook
11/28/2014
" You can take the man out of the country, but you can't take the 'country' out of the man "
Photo of Mona Parisi Mona Parisi
via Facebook
11/28/2014
"Chicks in the mail". . . Lol!
Photo of Gail Carruth-Jewell Gail Carruth-Jewell
via Facebook
11/28/2014
Yes I have delivered live poultry!
Photo of Kathy Krone Deaton Kathy Krone Deaton
via Facebook
11/28/2014
BEES TOO
Photo of Annie Whitman Annie Whitman
via Facebook
11/28/2014
You could mail children back in the day when mail was carried on stage coaches. Been a very long time ago. And you can mail adult fowl through the USPS but they must be mailed Express mail and be packaged in proper containers. I retired from the PO in April and used to accept live turkeys from a mailer on a regular basis. They also ship bees, crickets, earthworms, butterflies, fish and live lobsters, and all kinds of chicks from chickens to quail.
Photo of Linda Burke Linda Burke
via Facebook
11/28/2014
Yep...you can still buy live poultry through the mail...
Photo of Melanie M. Varner Melanie M. Varner
via Facebook
11/28/2014
There is a duck farmer here in NE Indiana who sends them through the mail. I helped him one day at the post office.
Photo of Alice Hebel Klobukowski Alice Hebel Klobukowski
via Facebook
11/28/2014
I e seen a photo where someone sent a child through the mail. The mailman did not look very happy.
Photo of Maria Maroulis-Kean Maria Maroulis-Kean
via Facebook
11/28/2014
Disgusting.
Photo of Monica Carrington Monica Carrington
via Facebook
11/28/2014
I had 21 baby chicks delivered to my door 2 years ago via USPS! I was new to hobby farming and had no clue that was even an option.
Photo of Bill Hardy Bill Hardy
via Facebook
11/28/2014
Still can.
Photo of Deborah Mobberly Deborah Mobberly
via Facebook
11/28/2014
Love these old pictures.
Photo of Jamey Strong Ross Jamey Strong Ross
via Facebook
11/29/2014
Probably a butt load of turkey poop in that box...
Wow,,,,,,we should still be able to do this today
Photo of Molly Larsen Molly Larsen
via Facebook
11/30/2014
What is that word I am looking for? Botulism? Christians Dealing with the Paranormal
I'm not sure what you think Christians, the paranormal and mailing a live turkey have in common.
Photo of David Holley David Holley
via Facebook
12/17/2014
I work at Tractor Supply Company and in March I pick up live chicks atleast twice a week. No worries people!! Lol
It had to have to be a very special delivery
Photo of Jim Zak Jim Zak
via Facebook
11/28/2014
True!
Photo of Nancy Murray Marxen Nancy Murray Marxen
via Facebook
11/28/2014
Interesting…..
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Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was born on November 1, 1865 to parents Dr. George Tryon Harding III (1844-1938) and Phoebe Elizabeth Dickerson (1843-1920). He had siblings Birdie, Charity, Mary Clarissa, Eleanor, Charles Alexander, Abigail Victoria, Daisy, George Tyron Jr, and Caroline Phoebe Harding. He married Florence Mabel King (1860-1924) on July 8, 1891 in Marion, Ohio. Together they had two children, Marshall Eugene Dewolfe (1880-1915) and Elizabeth Ann Harding (born 1893). He served in the Ohio State Seante fromm 1900-1904, and was a Lieutenant Governor for 2 years. He ran for Governor of Ohio in 1901, but lost and later was elected into the US Senate in 1914. He ran for president and although started as an underdog, Warren Gamaliel Harding was elected to serve as the 29th president of the United States. He was a member of the Republican Party and served from 1921 until his death in 1923.
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