Presidents Day is a federal holiday, celebrated on the third Monday of February, to honor all those who served as presidents of the United States.
Specifically, the holiday is most known for celebrating the lives and contributions of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, combining the February birthdays of the two men into one holiday.
Only Washington and Abraham Lincoln are featured on both a U.S. coin and bill currently in circulation. While a likeness of Lincoln adorns the penny and five-dollar bill, Washington is honored with the quarter and the $1 bill.
And did you know that there are six presidents who are not buried on American soil?
It's true - because they are the presidents who are still alive! :-)
GEORGE WASHINGTON
The first official president of the official United States of America, the story of this colorful and legendary leader is pretty well known.
BUT DID YOU KNOW:
- The "Father of Our Country" actually fathered no children. Washington never had any biological children, but he did serve as the stepfather to his wife's children. Martha Dandridge Custis Washington had two children from a previous marriage.
- George Washington did not have a middle name. The use of middle names was not a common practice in Europe or its colonies until the early 19th century. Of the first 20 United States presidents, only 5 had middle names.
- While serving a president and Commander-in-Chief, he personally led the troops that suppressed a tax revolt in 1791 that came to be known as the Whiskey Rebellion. In fact, Washington was one of the nation’s most successful liquor distributors at the time. His distillery was state of the art, producing 11,000 gallons of whiskey per year. The restored distillery is currently open for public tours.
- The "Father of Our Country" is also known as the "Father of the American Foxhound". He was an important advocate of the breed, and usually owned upwards of 30 of the hounds at any given time.
- In 1789, Washington's presidential salary was 2 percent of the total U.S. budget.
In 2023, 2 percent of the U.S. budget is 36 billion dollars. - In 1976, Washington was posthumously awarded the highest rank in the U.S. military ever given. A law was passed creating the highest ranking for a U.S. officer of all time: General of the Armies of the United States.
Bestowed on Washington, it assured that no one will ever outrank him- ever.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Larger than life, this president is remembered not only for his important political accomplishments, but for his tragic death.
BUT DID YOU KNOW:
- At 6 foot, 4 inches, Abraham Lincoln was the tallest president. He also wore size 14 shoes.
- Lincoln was the first president to be photographed at his inauguration.
Eerily, John Wilkes Booth (his assassin) can be seen standing in the crowd close to Lincoln in the picture. - The contents of Lincoln’s pockets on the night of the assassination: two pairs of spectacles; a chamois lens cloth; an ivory and silver pocketknife; a large white Irish linen handkerchief, slightly used, with “A. Lincoln” embroidered in red; a gold quartz watch fob without a watch; and a new silk-lined, leather wallet containing a pencil, a Confederate five-dollar bill, and some news clippings.
- Lincoln was the only president to receive a patent, for a device for lifting boats over shoals. Patent No. 6,469 was granted to Lincoln in 1849.
- Lincoln’s son, Robert, was in Washington when his father was killed. Robert was also on the scene when President Garfield was shot in 1881, and when President McKinley was assassinated in 1901.
- Lincoln and his wife held séances in the White House. Like many Americans at the time, they had a great interest in communicating with the dead. After Lincoln's assassination, his wife continued to visit spiritualists in an effort to "speak" to her husband. This made her an easy target for spiritualist frauds like the photographer Mumler, who created the infamous fake photograph of the ghost of Lincoln hovering over Mary Todd Lincoln's shoulder. This photograph would eventually become one of the centerpieces in Harry Houdini's exposure of fraudulent spirit mediums.
PRESIDENTIAL CITIES
- Washington, Arkansas
- Washington, California
- Washington, Connecticut
- Washington, D.C.
- Washington, Georgia
- Washington, Illinois
- Washington, Indiana
- Washington, Iowa
- Washington, Kansas
- Washington, Louisiana
- Washington, Maine
- Washington, Massachusetts
- Washington, Michigan
- Washington, Minnesota
- Washington, Mississippi
- Washington, Missouri
- Washington, Nebraska
- Washington, Nevada
- Washington, New Hampshire
- Washington, New Jersey
- Washington, North Carolina
- Washington, Oklahoma
- Washington, Pennsylvania
- Washington, Rhode Island
- Washington, South Carolina
- Washington, Texas
- Washington, Utah
- Washington, Vermont
- Washington, Virginia
- Washington, West Virginia
- Washington, Wisconsin
- Lincoln, Alabama
- Lincoln, Arkansas
- Lincoln, California
- Lincoln, Colorado
- Lincoln, Delaware
- Lincoln, Idaho
- Lincoln, Illinois
- Lincoln, Indiana
- Lincoln, Iowa
- Lincoln, Kansas
- Lincoln, Kentucky
- Lincoln, Maine
- Lincoln, Maryland
- Lincoln, Massachusetts
- Lincoln, Michigan
- Lincoln, Minnesota
- Lincoln, Missouri
- Lincoln, Montana
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- Lincoln, Nevada
- Lincoln, New Hampshire
- Lincoln, New Jersey
- Lincoln, New Mexico
- Lincoln, New York
- Lincoln, North Dakota
- Lincoln, Oklahoma
- Lincoln, Oregon
- Lincoln, Pennsylvania
- Lincoln, Tennessee
- Lincoln, Texas
- Lincoln, Utah
- Lincoln, Vermont
- Lincoln, Virginia
- Lincoln, West Virginia
- Lincoln, Wisconsin
There is even a Lincoln, Washington and a George, Washington!
The population of George, Washingtonwas 809 at the 2020 census. The town was officially incorporated on July 4, 1957, at a ceremony that included Governor Albert Rosellini and a 1,000-pound cherry pie. Some of the streets are named after varieties of cherries grown in the area, such as Bing and Royal Anne.