From Washington’s Birthday to Presidents’ Day: A Holiday’s Long Evolution
Presidents’ Day — officially still called “Washington’s Birthday” at the federal level — is celebrated on the third Monday of February and has been the federal holiday honoring Founding Father George Washington since 1879. But the road from solemn birthday tribute to the long-weekend shopping extravaganza most Americans know today is a winding one, full of congressional squabbling, calendar quirks, and commercial opportunism.
The story begins in 1800. Following the death of George Washington in 1799, his February 22 birthday became a perennial day of remembrance. Washington was venerated as the most important figure in American history, and events like the 1832 centennial of his birth and the start of construction of the Washington Monument in 1848 were cause for national celebration.
The idea of adding Washington’s Birthday to the federal holiday list simply made official an unofficial celebration that had been in existence long before Washington’s death. Signed into law January 31, 1879, by President Rutherford B. Hayes, the law was implemented in 1880 and applied only to District federal workers. In 1885 the holiday was extended to federal workers in the thirty-eight states, making it the first federal holiday to single out an individual’s birth date.
Everything changed in 1968. Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which moved a number of federal holidays to Mondays. The change was designed to schedule certain holidays so that workers had a number of long weekends throughout the year. During debates over the Act, some lawmakers proposed renaming the holiday Presidents’ Day to honor both Washington and Abraham Lincoln, the 16th U.S. President whose own birthday falls on February 12. Although Congress rejected the proposed name change in 1968, the association stuck, and many Americans now view the holiday as honoring multiple presidents.
Today, most people use “Presidents’ Day” as the name for this holiday. Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Florida, and New York still specifically recognize the third Monday in February as “Washington’s Birthday” or “George Washington Day.” And in a corner of Texas that’s easy to overlook, the city of Laredo has held an annual Washington Birthday Celebration since 1898 that lasts the entire month of February.
One thing worth knowing: President Richard Nixon did not, as a widely circulated internet story claims, issue a proclamation changing the holiday’s name from Washington’s Birthday to Presidents’ Day. His Executive Order 115 on February 10, 1971, simply announced the new federal holiday calendar as passed by Congress in 1968. The “Presidents’ Day” name spread largely through retail advertising, not an act of government.
How Americans Celebrate Today
Modern Presidents’ Day is a hybrid of the civic and the commercial. Schools and government offices close, giving many families a long weekend. Museums, libraries, and historic sites use the day to host educational programs, reenactments, and talks about Washington, Lincoln, and the presidency more broadly.
One of the most meaningful traditions takes place in the U.S. Senate chamber. Since 1896, a member of the U.S. Senate has read Washington’s 7,641-word Farewell Address in observance of Washington’s birthday during legislative session. It is a solemn, often overlooked ritual that predates the “Presidents’ Day Sale” by about a century.
Many courts and historical sites also use Presidents’ Day to administer the oath of citizenship to new U.S. citizens, with these ceremonies intentionally held on this day to welcome new members into the American experiment while honoring the office that leads it.
What Does Presidents’ Day Mean in 2026’s Politically Charged Climate?
Perhaps no question better frames the holiday’s modern complexity than this one: in an era when the presidency itself is a flashpoint for cultural and political conflict, what does it mean to set aside a day to honor the office?
In a politically polarized era, Presidents’ Day remains a unifying nod to democratic institutions, though public discourse sometimes debates its name and scope. The very design of the holiday — broad enough to include all presidents, specific enough to originate with Washington — creates an inherent tension. Honoring the office means honoring everyone who has held it, popular or reviled, celebrated or contested.
Today, Presidents’ Day functions less as a birthday commemoration and more as a moment to consider leadership, legacy, and the ongoing impact of the presidency on American society. Schools and civic discussions frequently use the holiday as an opportunity to examine leadership qualities, democratic values, and the balance of power within government.
Presidents’ Day 2026 stands as both a historical observance and a modern national pause, arriving at a time when Americans continue to reflect on leadership, civic responsibility, and national identity. Washington’s Farewell Address — read aloud in the Senate this week as it has been for more than a century — warns explicitly against the “baneful effects of the spirit of party,” urging Americans to guard against factionalism that would allow “cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men” to subvert the will of the people. It is, in 2026, a document that reads less like history and more like a live wire.
Historians note that the holiday gives Americans a rare structured opportunity to step back and evaluate the institution of the presidency itself — not any single occupant, but the office, its powers, its precedents, and its limits. It provides a dedicated space to consider the evolution of the presidency, from the foundational precedents set in the 18th century to the complex, modern challenges leaders face today.
The Texas Angle: Three Presidents, One Lone Star State
Texas has a remarkable relationship with the American presidency — and Presidents’ Day carries special resonance here, because the state can claim, in varying degrees, three of the most consequential presidents of the 20th century.
Lyndon Baines Johnson — The Hill Country’s Son
Lyndon Baines Johnson was born just after the turn of the 20th century in the rugged and isolated Hill Country of Texas. The family’s small farmhouse on the Pedernales River near Stonewall had no electricity or running water. From those hardscrabble beginnings emerged arguably the most legislatively consequential president since FDR.
Johnson continues to tower over Texas politics not just because he was the first Texas-bred president, not just because of all he did to reshape America in the area of civil rights, but because — 26 years in his grave — Johnson continues to extend his influence. His administration passed many major laws that made substantial changes in civil rights, health care, welfare, and education. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 stand as cornerstones of American law.
The volume of legislation that Johnson passed as president seems colossal. In the first two full years of his presidency, 1964 and 1965, Johnson submitted and Congress enacted more than 200 pieces of legislation. Today if a president passes two major bills in a term, political observers call it a major achievement.
LBJ’s Austin footprint is enormous. The Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum, located on the University of Texas at Austin‘s campus, holds more than 45 million pages of documents, 12,000 hours of recorded audio including telephone conversations, and 7,500 videotapes related to LBJ’s career and legacy. The 10-story library features permanent exhibits including a replica of the Oval Office during Johnson’s tenure and a First Lady’s gallery dedicated to the life and service of Lady Bird Johnson.
Notably, the LBJ Library offers free admission on Presidents’ Day.
George H.W. Bush — The Texan Who Had to Prove It
George Herbert Walker Bush (Bush 41) presents one of the more fascinating Texas identity puzzles in presidential history. Born in Massachusetts, raised in Connecticut, educated at Yale — and yet Texas became the state that defined his political life. After graduating from Yale, Bush moved to West Texas, where he established the oil company Zapata Corporation.
“George Bush played an important role because he was popular when Republicans were not popular in the state,” said Jeremi Suri, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
Texas Republicans still credit him for putting the party on the map.
“He was trying to build the Republican party. He was just a great person because really in many counties, they didn’t even have a Republican party and he was just blazing a trail. That eventually became a trail that his son, George W., then really turned over the governorship, only the second Republican to be elected governor in Texas in modern times.” — Former Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson
Despite his deep ties to the state, Bush spent decades having his Texas credentials questioned. Even in death, Bush was haunted by the specter of eternal exile, as a Wall Street Journal story after his Houston funeral noted he was being “honored in adoptive home of Texas before being laid to rest.” Texas Monthly gave him multiple “Bum Steer” awards over the carpetbagger question, but those who knew him say his affection for Texas was entirely genuine.
The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, completed in 1997, is located on a 90-acre site on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station. It preserves records from his presidency, showcasing pivotal leadership moments including Operation Desert Storm, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the end of the Cold War.
George W. Bush — The Crawford Rancher
George Walker Bush was raised in Midland and Houston, Texas. He flew warplanes in the Texas Air National Guard in his twenties and later co-owned the Major League Baseball team Texas Rangers before being elected governor of Texas in 1994.
As governor, Bush successfully sponsored legislation for tort reform, increased education funding, set higher standards for schools, and reformed the criminal justice system. He also helped make Texas the leading producer of wind-generated electricity in the United States. After the presidency, he returned to his Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas, where he has largely maintained a low public profile, taking up oil painting.
Together, this Bush father-and-son duo — George W. Bush became the second son of a president to win the White House; the first was John Quincy Adams in 1824 — fundamentally transformed Texas from a reliably Democratic state into the Republican stronghold it is today. And LBJ, the great Democrat from the Hill Country, laid the legislative groundwork that both inspired and provoked that transformation. Texas’s presidential history is, in miniature, the story of America’s political realignment.
Austin Area: What’s Closed Monday, February 16
If you’re in the Austin area, here’s what you need to know for Presidents’ Day 2026:
City of Austin Government Offices: Most City of Austin administrative offices and other municipal facilities will be closed Monday, Feb. 16, in observance of Presidents’ Day. Normal business hours resume on Tuesday, Feb. 17.
City Services That Remain Open: Austin Resource Recovery curbside collections will follow regular schedules and will not be affected by the holiday. City of Austin Utilities payments can be made online at coautilities.com or by calling 1-833-375-4949, and in-person payments are accepted at most H-E-B, CVS, Randall’s, and Walmart stores.
USPS: Mail delivery will not occur on Presidents’ Day. Normal operations for the U.S. Postal Service will resume on Tuesday, February 17. USPS Priority Mail Express will be the only service in operation. UPS and FedEx will operate as normal.
Banks: Most major banks will be closed on Presidents’ Day, including Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Capital One, Citibank, PNC, and Truist. ATMs remain accessible.
Schools: Schools, colleges, and libraries are also closed on the holiday.
Stock Market: The NYSE and Nasdaq will not trade on Monday.
Federal Courts: Closed, with no regular sessions.
Open as Usual: Grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, retail, movie theaters, hospitals, and emergency services all remain operational. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport operates on its regular schedule.
The LBJ Library: Open — and offering free admission in honor of Presidents’ Day.
Presidents’ Day began as a tribute to one man who set aside power voluntarily and urged his countrymen to put nation above faction. Nearly 150 years later, it has evolved into something more complicated and perhaps more necessary: a collective pause to consider what the American presidency has been, what it is, and what we expect it to be. For Texans, that reflection carries the weight of three presidents whose stories — and whose libraries — are embedded in the very soil of the Lone Star State.
Austin police are investigating two homicides reported less than 24 hours apart — one in South Austin on Saturday and another early Sunday near the Gus Garcia Recreation Center in North Austin.
A man in his 30s with “obvious indicators of trauma” was pronounced dead just after midnight Sunday.
The Rundberg corridor has seen its share of recent police activity. APD detectives revived their search for the suspect in the April 2025 killing of Gabrielle Williams near a homeless encampment. A mid-January homicide near North Lamar and Rundberg underscores ongoing concerns about violence in parts of north Austin.
Meanwhile, two people were killed in a homicide in south Austin on Saturday morning.
Investigators say both cases appear to be isolated incidents and that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
Mustang Ridge authorities responded to a “major crash” last night on S Highway 183 and Laws Road. just before 8 p.m.
A spate of recent stabbings on CapMetro buses has @AustinJustice going to work.
Court documents have revealed new information regarding an Austin man charged with animal cruelty after a video of him went viral.
Thousands of runners took over the streets of downtown Austin on Sunday for the annual Austin Marathon, bringing a surge of spectators, road closures, and ideal racing weather to the city. The event featured a full marathon, half marathon, and 5K, drawing elite athletes and local participants alike as they wound through iconic Austin neighborhoods and past major landmarks. City officials reported a smooth race day with no major incidents.
Joseph Whelan and Kellyn Taylor won the men’s and women’s elite divisions.
The ATX Aggregator caught Hanes as he ran north on South 1st Street.
EARLY VOTING FOR THE TEXAS PRIMARY BEGINS TOMORROW, FEBRUARY 17.
Will this be the year that Texas turns blue? Or is it more likely that Austin turns slightly more red? Early voting begins today in the run-up to the March 3 Democratic and Republican primaries, which are the precursors for the November midterm elections. And while the big race on everyone’s mind is the Democratic primary race for U.S. Senate, lots of local and statewide races will be on Travis County voters’ ballots, too. In this two-part episode, host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by KUT state capital reporter Blaise Gainey and the Austin American-Statesman’s Alex Driggars to get you primary-ready.
Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful James Talarico is holding a rally tomorrow in Austin.
Governor Abbott announced Sunday that he directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate additional state wildfire response resources. This is being done in anticipation of elevated-to-critical fire weather conditions in large areas of South, West, and Northwest Texas this week. (CBS Austin)
Hays County‘s water supply is in dire straits.
WEATHER
SUNDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
A Wood County deputy suffered multiple gunshot wounds and one Texas DPS trooper was also injured Saturday while serving warrants.
The Texas Agriculture Commissioner warns beef prices and a shrinking cattle herd are forcing some smokehouses to close or cut back.
Texans from Waco to Harlingen are raising concerns over how much energy and water data centers are poised to use. Local officials, some enticed by a tax boon, say they have little power to stop the rush. (Texas Tribune)
Tech companies are racing to build thousands of huge data centers to power the artificial intelligence revolution. To find the land they need, they are barreling into rural communities across the United States with the promise of good jobs. But not everyone is buying that pitch.
Karen Weise, a technology correspondent for The New York Times, tells the story of one county pushing back against Big Tech.
An overnight rescue unfolded in Terrell County over the weekend after a researcher was injured inside one of the deepest known caves in Texas.
New information on last week’s bizarre closure of El Paso’s airspace.
TEXAS MOST WANTED SEX OFFENDERS – FEBRUARY 2026
Rain poured and winds whipped outside the Houston’s NRG Stadium during a Monster Jam event Saturday, but some of the elements made their way inside. Both lower decks of the east and west ends of the stadium were pelted with sheets of rain, perhaps caused by an improper roof closure before Saturday’s event. Fans in the lower deck ran out of their seats and into their respective concourses, many drenched in water.
Early voting begins tomorrow and new polling is showing us the state of some key races. We look at the numbers at the top of the ticket and beyond, including races down ballot that are shaping the story of the Texas primary.
(Episode from February 15, 2026)
Dozens of couples tied the knot just after midnight on Saturday during a free Valentine’s Day mass wedding ceremony hosted at the Bexar County Courthouse.
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASEBALL: Sophomore Dylan Volantis registered a career-long seven innings to guide No. 3 Texas (3-0) to a 9-1 victory over UC Davis (0-3) in the series finale at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Sunday afternoon. The Horns swept the three-game series. (Texas Longhorns)
Up next, Texas welcomes in-state foe Lamar to UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
Only one game of note in area college basketball tonight.
The Texas Longhorns face LSU tomorrow night.
ASTROS: The Houston Astros signed Cavan Biggio to a Minor League contract on Sunday. The son of Hall of Fame second baseman Craig Biggio, Cavan — who turns 31 in April — reported to camp Sunday for a physical and will work out with the club today. (MLB.com)
RANGERS: The Texas Rangers announced on Sunday that they have signed veteran first baseman/outfielder Mark Canha to a minor-league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training. (Clutch Points)
- Full Squad Arrival: Today marks the official report date for the remaining Houston Astros position players. The Rangers’ full squad was officially due to report yesterday, February 15.
- First Exhibition Games: Both teams begin Cactus and Grapefruit League play on Friday, February 20.
- Rangers: vs. Kansas City Royals (2:05 PM MST)
- Astros: vs. Washington Nationals (1:05 PM EST)
- World Baseball Classic (WBC): Because 2026 is a WBC year, players participating in the tournament were required to report earlier (Feb. 11 for pitchers/catchers and Feb. 12 for position players) to prepare for national team departures in early March.
PRESIDENTS’ DAY 2026
George W. Bush’s Prairie Chapel Ranch – A President’s Western Retreat and Texas Country Lifestyle.
