President’s Day honors and celebrates the life and achievements of George Washington, the first President of the United States (1789-1797) and ‘The Father of his Country’. The day is, in practice, often used to honor and remember all past US presidents, and in particular Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson.
President’s Day was created in 1879, first celebrated the following year. It was originally held on Washington’s actual birthday (February 22). In 1971 this was changed to the third Monday of February. It was the first federal holiday to be created in honor of an American citizen.