Top 10 Presidents Day Facts
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President’s Day is not only a chance to get a long three day weekend. Rather, it is a chance to remember and honor the Presidents of the United States. The holiday has a long and storied tradition. With that in mind, check out the top 10 facts about Presidents Day.
Table of Contents
10. The Origin of Presidents Day
The origins of the celebration of President’s Day go back as far as 1800. This was one year after the first president of the United States, George Washington died.[1]Ducksters – President’s Day Therefore, to remember him, people held remembrances.
9. Washington’s Farewell Address
George Washington and President’s Day are still very much linked. In fact, to this day, each February 22nd, his people read his farewell address in the United States Senate.[2]Sylvan – Presidents’ Day Facts for Kids
8. Many Years Before It Became Official
While the American people started remembering and celebrating George Washington’s birthday right after his death, the holiday did not become officially recognized for quite a long time. In fact, it actually took 85 years before it became a federally recognized holiday. In the late 1870’s Arkansas Senator Steven Wallace Dorsey initially proposed that Washington ’s Birthday should be an official federal holiday.[3]Kids Play and Create – Why Do We Celebrate President’s Day- President’s Day Facts for Kids In 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes officially signed a bill declaring Washington’s Birthday on February 22nd, an official federal holiday.
7. Presidents Day Wasn’t Always President’s Day
Originally, when the holiday was first made official, it wasn’t actually called Presidents Day. Rather, the holiday was actually called George Washington Day as it officially only recognized George Washington.[4]National Parks – 15 Fun Facts About President’s Day And Our National Parks
6. Lincoln’s Birthday
Lincoln’s Birthday is bunched in with Washington’s on President’s Day. However, in reality the Federal Holiday is still called only George Washington’s Birthday. In fact, while many states celebrate Lincoln’s Birthday, this day has never been a federally recognized holiday.[5]Encyclopedia Britannica – Presidents’ Day
5. Actually The Official Name Is Not Presidents Day
The official federal name of the holiday is not actually President’s Day. In fact, it has always been and still is actually called George Washington’s Birthday. However, while it is a federal holiday, each state can choose how to celebrate it and what they want to call it. Therefore, most states now call it President’s Day.[6]This Grandma Is Fun – THESE FACTS ABOUT PRESIDENTS’ DAY WILL INSPIRE YOU
4. Different Spelling
Some people spell it President’s Day and others spell it Presidents’ Day. Presidents’ Day is in reference to all of the Presidents while President’s Day refers to just one. As stated before, this is because states are allowed to choose how they celebrate the holiday. As such, some only recognize it as George Washington’s birthday, others might only recognize it as Washington’s and Lincoln’s Birthdays, and others might recognize it as a remembrance for all Presidents.[7]SoftSchools.com – Presidents’ Day Facts
3. Expansion of the Holiday
Many people celebrated the holiday. However, since it fell on different days of the week each year, people would tend to skip work. Therefore, in 1968, Congress passed a bill called the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill. The purpose of the bill was to create more 3 day weekends for people by officially moving some holidays to Mondays. In the process, it combined George Washington’s Birthday on February 22nd with Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12th. By 1971, the government moved the celebration of both of these holidays to the 3rd Monday of February.[8]Office Holidays – Presidents’ Day Facts
2. Four Presidents were Born in February
While President’s Day celebrates all of the Presidents of the United States, only 4 of them were actually born in February. For example, they include Ronald Reagan on the 6th, William Henry Harrison on the 9th, Abraham Lincoln on the 12th, and George Washington on the 22nd.[9]Time – 3 Shocking Facts You Didn’t Know About Presidents Day
1. Presidents Day and Cherries
Traditionally, people celebrated President’s Day by eating cherries in all forms including bread, cake, and pie made with cherries. However, there is a reason for this. This comes from the story about George Washington and the cherry tree. In the story, a young Washington apparently cut down a cherry tree but then had to tell his father because he “could not tell a lie”.[10]ThoughtCo. – Presidents’ Day Trivia
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