Too Cute to Eat: An Homage to Turkeys
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Reg Speller/Getty Images.
Fowl Play
As Thanksgiving arrives, LIFE salutes the country's noble gobblers. While turkeys may not be a national treasure, they might have been: Benjamin Franklin argued that the wild turkey should be the national bird, believing them "more respectable" than the eagle.
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Reg Speller/Getty Images.
Turkey Jockey, 1952
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Reg Speller/Getty Images.
Turkey in a Blanket, 1950
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John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images.
Flirting with Shirley Temple, 1949
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Hulton Archive/Getty Images.
Doris Day's New Friend, 1955
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CREDIT: Hirz/Getty Images.
It's Nothing Personal, 1925
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Maeers/Getty Images.
Taking Note of the Turkey, 1939
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Fox Photos/Getty Images.
Select Your Dinner, 1936
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Fox Photos/Getty Images.
Fowl Family Fun, 1932
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Reg Speller/Getty Images.
Barnyard Buddies, 1950
Related: You can see more adorable photos of turkeys at LIFE.com. There you'll also find photos of presidents and turkeys, including W.'s amazing turkey trance. And because Thanksgiving can be awkward, consider acquiring enough facts about cranberries to amaze the table for 15 minutes.