'Turnback Tuesday' highlights history of wild turkeys

Turnback Tuesday explores the history of the wild turkey.

Turkeys played a huge role with Native American tribes in the east for their meat and eggs as well as feathers for headgear.

Turkey was abundant in CT when the settlers arrived. With hunting and forest clearing, turkeys were eliminated by the early 1800s. Between 1975 and 1992, wild turkeys were reintroduced with great success in CT. They can be seen in all 169 CT towns.

Tidbit: Benjamin Franklin wanted the American turkey as the National Bird. He said the turkey is much more respectable.

Thanks goes to the Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week.