As the story goes, sometime in the 1890's, the early settlers of Turkey, Texas stepped onto the banks of Turkey Creek, located in the Texas panhandle plains, and ran into flocks of wild Rio Grande turkeys roosting in the area. As you might imagination it didn't take long for the settlers to come up with the name Turkey Roost for the name of their settlement. The town name was changed to Turkey in 1893, when a post office was established there.

Turkey is best known as the home of Bob Wills, the King of Western Swing. Wills was a barber in Turkey during the 1920's. Wills formed The Texas Playboys and their music introduced a new offshoot of county-western music known as "Western Swing."

The annual Bob Wills Day Festival draws ten thousand to the town the last Saturday in April. Music, fun and delicious brisket, pork spare ribs, chicken, turkey, and dessert are judged throughout.