Presidents’ Day was originally established to honor one man; George Washington. The original name of the holiday was Washington’s Birthday, which is what the federal government still calls it.
What makes the holiday even more interesting is the fact Washington’s birthday was technically two different days.
According to the National Archives, George Washington was born on February 11, 1731. At this time, the Julian Calendar was in use. However, in 1752, Britain and all of its colonies adopted the Gregorian Calendar. The Gregorian calendar moved Washington’s birthday ahead one year and 11 days to February 22, 1732. He continued to use his second birthday throughout his life.
The full article is available at ozarksfirst.com.
(Story by Natalie Nunn, ozarksfirst.com)