Locations/Events: Yankee Thanksgiving Tour – Elk River, MN

A Yankee Thanksgiving Tour: In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday. Experience what preparations for a Thanksgiving celebration were like 150 years ago. On a 90-minute guided tour, visitors will hike along the wooded trails to the historic Kelley Farm, meet farm animals, and visit the historic house filled with the sights and smells of a harvest celebration. Following the tour, pie and refreshments will be served in the visitor center.

The Oliver Kelley Farm, a National Historic Landmark, was the home of Oliver H. Kelley, founder of the Grange, the first successful national farming organization. The 1860s farmstead, modern visitor center and farm lab showcase the story of farming, food and agriculture—past and present. The farm is located at 15788 Kelley Farm Road, 2.5 miles southeast of Elk River on U.S. Highway 10.