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In the 1870s and 1880s Main Street heading east out of town was called Turkey Street due to the number of turkeys being raised in that area.
The farmers who lived out that way were good naturedly called "Turkeyites". They even had their own baseball team in 1878 called The Spring Grove Turkey Street Ball Club.
One Saturday in February 1882, a musical group of entertainers called "The Scott Concert Troupe" stopped and gave a program in Spring Grove. Afterwards it was reported there was "a balloting for the picture between the people of the Grove and those who live on Turkey Street, each having a candidate. The voting was very fierce at first among the Turkeyites, but their funds soon being exhausted, the stalwarts of the Grove, never failing for money and courage, came forward and secured the prize for their candidate."
Although the meaning of this is somewhat obscure, the Turkeyites were rather sore over their defeat and defended themselves from the Stalwarts of the Grove. "We deny all claim to such a fowl as the turkey", they wrote. "We believe that feathered creature to be a ramble in its habits, and the people of this district are industrious, kind-hearted in every way, shape or manner you may make them, so if we are not mistaken, they will have to find a more appropriate set to give that term to. And further, they would have folks believe they have got all the grit in the country...but they know...where the force, energy and grit is."
I hope they made up by Thanksgiving! Gooble gooble!
Story by Laura Frumet
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