Presidents Day, observed every third Monday in February is a federal holiday honoring the birthdates of United States Presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

Initially, the holiday was called Washington’s (Birthday) Day; in admiration of the commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the first president of the United States, George Washington. In the late 1870’s, more than 70 years after Washington’s death, Steven Wallace Dorsey proposed Washington’s birthday become a federal holiday. Signed by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1879, ‘Washington Day’ joined the four existing bank holidays (Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Years Day). With Abraham Lincoln’s birthday only 9 days prior to Washington’s, it was originally proposed Washington Day be Presidents Day, but at the time congress sternly rejected the idea.

92 years later, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act executive order was signed by President Richard Nixon; shifting holidays to create more three-day weekends, with hopes to inspire greater productivity amongst the nation’s workforce. Washington’s Day was then moved to the third Monday in February. With the new date for the holiday now typically landing between Lincoln and Washington’s birthdates, it was then only fitting to rename the holiday to President’s Day in honor of both renowned figures.

Washington on Left –  Lincoln on Right

Today, the nation recognizes President’s Day as tribute to all the presidents that have served The United States of America. Across the country, hundreds of presidential memorials consisting of monuments, museums, parks, schools, highways and a variety of historic sites can be found in salute to their legacies. Locally, you can visit the President Hall of Fame in Clermont, the Kennedy Monument at the Kennedy Space Center or his statue in Tampa to experience ways Central Florida pays tribute to some of the previous leaders of this great country. 

Happy Presidents Day!