A Brief History of Presidents Day

PRESIDENTS DAY ALSI GET THE DAY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES (and many others) OFF BUT WHY? George Washington's Birthday, also known as Presidents Day, is a federal holiday held on the third Monday of February. The day honors presidents of the United States, including George Washington, the USA's first president. All federal employees get the day off, and most state and local governments also honor Presidents Day. Npobnonang MONUNMOND- WAIT, WHAT? THE UNTOUCHABLE DATE Presidents Day never falls on the actual birthday of any American president. Four chief executives - George Washington, William Henry Harrison, Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan - were born in February, but their birthdays all come either too early or late to coincide with Presidents Day, which is celebrated on the third Monday of the month. TIMELINE JUST HOW DID WE GET HERE? 1968 FEBRUARY 22, 1880 Uniform Monday Holiday Act is passed. Washington's birthday first observed by Washington D.C. government offices. 1885 The move away from February 22nd led many people to believe the day was meant to honor Lincoln and Washington's birthdays. Expanded to all Federal offices. BILL PASSED IN 1879 1971 by president Rutherford b. Hayes honoring George Washington's birthday. The Act goes into effect moving Washington's Birth- day, Memorial Day, Columbus Day and Veterans Day to Mondays. SALE FEBRUARY 22, 1732 1980s George Washington is born. Marketers took advantage of the term “Presidents Day" as a reason to have 3-day weekend sales for retailers/car dealers. DU rning and Evening- One Price o Ou do not find a home to suitAnton G. Hanson Co. your needs in Tribune For Rent br id. H tablish Write DON'T BLAME THE CAT TE Con usisess PArtner. Hamburg IT And 0od, Minn ESS OPPORTUNITIES St. For the Pau ence LBELL SOur basiness throu ustness bro MEOW ATAnteed In Feb. 2001, Richard Bendetto of USA TODAY wrote an article citing place a source from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette where humor columnist Michael Storey routinely employed his cat "Otus" in fictional conversations, which regular readers knew were spoofs. Otus (who was really a Cat) claimed that it was Nixon who''d created the presidential proclamation changing the holiday from Washington's Birthday to Presidents Day." Bide have INV 140 Wlake P WITH INVES Te Because the article came from USA TODAY, most people believed it to be est suto coes ales manaCE Aplendid write true, contributing to the Presidents Day marketing frenzy. MRS. JOSLYN TAT *SED R* DIC HOTEL, 903 3RD AV S s in le from . Phone KENWOOD 7250 4-L-S TODAY Many Americans celebrate with parties, festivals and classic battle reenactments. Although it is a federal holiday, many colleges and universities still hold classes. Most businesses remain open and many public transit systems run regular schedules. SOURCES http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/20/na- tion/la-na-nn-presidents-day-20120217 http://books.google.com/books?id%=CTA3AAAAIAAJ&p- g=PA277#v=onepage&q&f=false http://www.archives.gov/legislative/fea- tures/washington/ http://www.archives.gov/publications/pro- logue/2004/winter/gw-birthday-1.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington%27s_Birthday http://usparks.about.com/od/historicalparks/a/Presi- dents-Day.htm http://www.archives.gov/publications/pro- logue/2004/winter/gw-birthday-2.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uniform_Monday_Holi- day_Act *** Veterans United. Home Loans TM http://www.onegreatfamily.com/general/famous_an- cestors/presidents-day.aspx