Know More About Presidents’ Day

Some people are getting the day off today, and it's not just to recover from any valentine's day-related activities. What do you really know about Presidents' Day?

You surely know who the guy above is, our 44th President. But is the day about the current President? Is this Barack Obama's day?

No.

The day we know as "Presidents' Day" is officially acknowledged by the U.S. Government as "Washington's Birthday", originally beginning as an homage to George Washington, our first President, who was born on February 22.

The day was expanded to honor all Presidents under the unofficial "Presidents' Day", and it was switched from the 22nd to the third Monday in February, because there's nothing more American than a three-day weekend.

Washington's Birthday/Presidents' day is one of the official federal holidays, so government offices are closed, banks are closed, and there is no mail service. However, you can still ship letters/packages by FedEx or UPS today.

On the state level, not every state recognizes today as a holiday. 33 states do recognize today as a holiday -- and oddly they do so by different names. Some states call it "Presidents' Day", some call it "President's Day", some call it "Presidents Day" (no apostrophe at all), some call it "Washington's Birthday", some tie in Abraham Lincoln (also born on February) specifically. Alabama ties Thomas Jefferson in. Arkansas ties in civil rights activist Daisy Gatson Bates. Virginia calls is "George Washington Day"

Iowa calls today Monday. Iowa does not recognize today as a state holiday, so all state services such as the DMV are open unless they decide to close on their own.

By the way, do you know one President was born in Iowa?

Our 31st President -- Herbert Hoover -- was born in West Branch on August 10, 1874. Hoover was the first President to be born west of the Mississippi River. He lived in Iowa for the first 10 years of his life, before moving to Oregon to be with his uncle who was a doctor that could help him with health problems.