Presidents’ Day is one of 12 federal holidays in the US. It is celebrated each year on the third Monday of February. Happy Presidents’ Day! 

The holiday was first established as Washington’s Birthday in 1879 to honor President George Washington. It was commemorated on Washington’s actual birthdate, Feb. 22, until 1971, when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, moved it to give federal workers another three-day weekend.

Depending on where you live, the day may be spelled “President’s Day” (to acknowledge Washington) or Presidents’ Day” (to include Abraham Lincoln, born on Feb. 12).   

According to the National Archives, Presidents Day will never fall on George Washington’s actual birthday, since the latest the third Monday in February can fall is Feb. 21.
Soon after George Washington’s death in 1799, his Feb. 22 birthday became an annual day of remembrance. It didn’t become a federal holiday, however, until 1879 — the first one to commemorate an individual.  

The holiday was originally only observed in Washington, DC. But in 1885, it was expanded to include government offices nationwide.
But according to the law which classifies federal holidays, it’s still recognized by the government as just “Washington’s Birthday.” 

George Washington was born in Virginia, on Feb. 11, 1731. At the time, the colonies -used the Julian calendar. In 1753, however, British Parliament adopted the now-standard Gregorian calendar, which shifted everything by one year and 11 days. Washington’s birth date then became Feb. 22, 1732.

The placement of the apostrophe can tell you how many presidents your state celebrates.  

  •  Hawaii, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont and Washington use Presidents’ Day.  
  •  In Alaska, Idaho, Maryland, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wyoming, it’s referred to as President’s Day. 
  •  Nevada, New Jersey and Oregon use Presidents Day. 

Those are hardly the only options, though: 

  •  It’s George Washington/Thomas Jefferson Birthday in Alabama. 
  •  In Arizona, it’s Lincoln/Washington/Presidents’ Day. 
  •  In Arkansas, it’s called both George Washington’s Birthday and Daisy Bates Day, to honor the late civil rights advocate. 
  •  Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan and New York all refer to the day as Washington’s Birthday. 
  •  Maine uses Washington’s Birthday/President’s Day. 
  •  Minnesota goes with Washington’s and Lincoln’s Birthday. 
  •  In Montana, it’s Lincoln’s and Washington’s Birthday. 
  •  Ohio celebrates Washington–Lincoln Day. 
  •  In Utah, it’s referred to as Washington and Lincoln Day.
  •  Virginia, where Washington lived, uses George Washington Day. 

In California, the holiday is simply classified as “the third Monday in February,” and Delaware doesn’t observe Feb. 22 as a state holiday at all. 

Federal government offices are closed on the third Monday in February, as are post offices, US district courts and most state and local government offices and courts. 

Public schools and universities may also be closed, as are many private institutions and most banks. 

Beginning in 1896, 100 years after it was first delivered, Washington’s Farewell Address has been read aloud at the end of February each year by a member of the Senate.