Rare Footage of Poughkeepsie’s 1951 Thanksgiving Day Parade

We uncovered some incredible footage of the 1951 Poughkeepsie Thanksgiving Parade on Main Street that shows just how much the Hudson Valley has changed.

Apparently, Thanksgiving used to be much different in the City of Poughkeepsie than it is today. This rare glimpse into history shows hundreds of families lining the streets and watching impressive floats and balloons parade down Main Street.

Some of the displays shown in the uncovered footage rival that of the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. A giant, rolling "pop-up book" gives way to marching bands, giant walking puppets, snowmen and a host of inflatable balloons. A giant candy cane balloon is so big that it needs to be carried by eight men. Other balloons shown making their way past the Luckey-Platt building include an airplane piloted by turkeys, a giant ice cream cone and huge, individual letters spelling out "Toyland."

Of course, the grand finale features a visit from Santa, who is riding in an impressive sleigh led by some realistic looking reindeer. There was certainly a lot of time, effort and money put into this parade, a sign of the prosperity and success that once flourished in the City of Poughkeepsie.

Take a look at the full video below.