The history of President's Day
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — It's easy to forget about the distant past unless we have something to remind us of it. Now, we have a day to reflect, President's Day.
President's Day originated from the birth of a man who changed the world forever and founded the home of the free, the USA.
George Washington was born on Feb. 22, 1732. By late 1799, Washington succumbed to a severe throat infection at the age of 67. His last words were 'Tis well.'
In honor of him, his birthday began to be celebrated unofficially that same year.
On Feb. 22, 1837, a cheddar cheese block weighing 1,400 pounds was wheeled into the White House, where citizens were invited in to feast with the president and talk about current issues.
By 1879, Washington's Birthday was celebrated nationally as a federal holiday.
Almost 100 years later, in 1968, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act organized several federal holidays onto the closest Monday so workers would have a longer weekend.
Around the same time, businesses started campaigning sales using the slogan 'President's Day,' instead of Washington's birthday, which Congress had officially called the holiday.
Abraham Lincoln's birthday, Feb. 12, is now also celebrated with Washington's after the change to a Monday between the two.
Since Washington, 46 presidents and a quarter millennium have passed, and technology has shaped the world into something the founding fathers couldn't have dreamt of.
But within all that change, holidays like Washington's birthday are set to remind us of our roots and what it took for the birth of America.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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