The First Thanksgiving Was Celebrated In El Paso

Forget Plymouth Rock or wherever it was the Pilgrims had their party, the first Thanksgiving actually happened years before right here in El Chuco.

The Pilgrims and the Indians got together in 1621 to share their harvests and knock back a few brews. (Yes, the Pilgrims had beer ... lots of it.) The annual Dallas Cowboys football game came later. Spanish explorer Juan de Oñate had held a Thanksgiving of his own near El Paso over 20 years earlier though.

Juan De Onate and his father had done several solids for the king of Spain and, as a reward, Juan was given a bunch of land in the northern Rio Grande valley. In 1598, he, along with about 500 people, (soldiers, colonists, wives and children), and 7,000 animals set out across the Chihuahuan Desert.

The First Thanksgiving

For almost 2 months they dealt with natures worst. First, relentless rain then no water at all. Over the last few days of the journey, they ran out of food and water completely. Near death, the party came across the Rio Grande and were saved.

Saved, barely, they chilled by the river for a few days then Oñate ordered a "day of thanksgiving" for their survival. They hunted some game and local Indians brought some fish to the shindig. A mass was celebrated by the missionaries among the group and Oñate read La Toma claiming the area for the King of Spain.

A member of the expedition wrote of the original celebration, "We built a great bonfire and roasted the meat and fish, and then all sat down to a repast the like of which we had never enjoyed before. . .We were happy that our trials were over; as happy as were the passengers in the Ark when they saw the dove returning with the olive branch in his beak, bringing tidings that the deluge had subsided." - texasalmanac.com

READ MORE: Why Texans Must Buy Booze BEFORE Thanksgiving

Voila, the first Thanksgiving happened alongside the Rio Grande, near present day San Elizario, just east of El Paso. There are other claims to the first Thanksgiving but, except for another in Texas, they all came at later dates so; we're sticking with this one.