How the largely immigrant-founded Macy’s Thanksgiving parade became a national symbol

New York parade has swapped lions and clowns for character balloons, but the festivity remains 100 years later

It was a sight to behold: elephants marching through New York City streets, thousands of spectators crushed four and five deep on the sidewalks hoping to get a glimpse of the creatures.

It was Thanksgiving Day 1924, and the elephants - accompanied by bears, monkeys, tigers, camels, donkeys and lions - were residents of the Central Park zoo, trotted out for a brand-new parade, sponsored by the department store Macy's.