Turkey Day Game

Thanksgiving and football — at one time in Terre Haute, Ind., these two things were inseparable. In the late 1990s, Mike McCormick, Vigo County historian, wrote about the Wiley-Garfield Turkey Day Game in an ad sponsored by Terre Haute First National (Financial) Bank, Wabash Valley Profiles: A series of tributes to hometown people and events that have shaped our history.

In this article, McCormick noted that for nearly 40 years, a football game was held on this holiday. By 1953, the game was no longer played on Thanksgiving, but the Turkey Day Game moniker stuck.

The victor of the Turkey Day Game took home the prized bronze turkey. With school consolidation in the early 1970s, the turkey trophy found a home at the Vigo County Historical Museum, 1411 S. 6th Street, Terre Haute.

To read the entire Turkey Day Game profile, click here. To view images from Wiley High School, visit here. To view Garfield High School memories, click here.

The Educational Heritage Association collection also features memorabilia from Vigo County schools. The association is a volunteer-based organization focused on collecting, preserving, and promoting education in the Wabash Valley.