Some public services and schools are closed for the federal holiday.
DALLAS — Presidents Day is celebrated each year on the third Monday in February and commemorates the birthdays of two former presidents – George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. This year, it falls today on Feb. 17.
President’s Day started in the 1880s as a celebration of Washington’s birthday, which is February 22, 1732, according to the National Archives.
Then, nearly 100 years later, a 1971 law changed the date of the holiday to the third Monday in February, the National Archives website states.
It became known as Presidents Day because it’s between Washington’s birthday on Feb. 22 and Lincoln’s birthday on Feb. 12, according to the National Archives.
The holiday is sometimes understood as a celebration of all U.S. Presidents, though, according to Encyclopedia Brittanica.
- Municipal offices: Many city offices, including in Dallas, are closed for Presidents Day.
- Schools: Many public school districts, including North Texas’ largest, Dallas ISD and Fort Worth ISD, aren’t having classes on President’s Day, according to their websites.
- Banks: Most banks are closed for President’s Day.
- Post offices: The U.S. Postal Service won’t deliver mail on Presidents Day and USPS retail facilities will be closed, according to the USPS website.
