It began in 1880 when an Act of Congress was implemented in the District of Columbia and later expanded in 1885 to include all federal offices. This first federal holiday was to honor an American citizen, and the holiday was celebrated on Washington's actual birthday, February 22.
It is interesting to note that George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, according to the Gregorian or "New Style" calendar that is in use today. However, according to the "old Style" or Julian calendar, in effect in England and the colonies until 1752, George Washington was born February 11. The explanation is that the new calendar added eleven days to the old date to bring the calendar year into step with the astronomical year.
While Washington was still alive some Americans are reported to have celebrated his birthday on February 11 and some on February 22.
The along came Abraham Lincoln, who was also deserving of a special day of recognition. He was born on February 12 and the people of this new country found two Presidential birth dates to celebrate in the same month—February. In the past a federal public holiday was observed for George Washington birthday and February 12 was observed as a public holiday in most states to honor Abraham Lincoln.
Then in 1968, the 90th Congress decided to create a uniform system of federal Monday holidays. As a result three existing holidays, including Washington's' Birthday, was shifted to Mondays. That took effect in 1971 and resulted in Washington's Birthday being changed from its fixed February 22 date to the third Monday in February. The third Monday would never fall on February 22nd.
Considerable controversy arose with concern expressed that Washington's identity would be lost. The attempt to rename the public holiday "Presidents' Day" stalled in committee with the argument that not all Presidents are held in the same high esteem as the Father of the Country. Additionally, like many other proposals, members of one party do not relish honoring a President from the other political party, regardless of his accomplishments.
Congress did create a uniform federal holiday law, but a uniform holiday title was still unsettled. Some states chose not to retain the federal holiday title and chose to name their state holiday "President's Day." That term became a marketing phenomenon and provided an opportunity for a three-day or weeklong sales period.
In 1999 bills were introduced in the U.S. House and Senate to specify that the legal public holiday once referred to as Washington's Birthday be "officially" called by that name once again. Both bills died in committees.
There are some communities preferring to continue to observe the original holidays by staging pageants and reenactments of important milestones in the lives of Washington and Lincoln.
For the McHenry County area, some offices are closed and some are not. Some schools are in session and some are not.
Closed—
McHenry County Government Center
Crystal Lake City Hall
Algonquin Township Offices
SCHOOLS--
Prairie Grove District 46-
Friday, February 18 – half day student attendance
half day teacher institute
Monday, February 21- No school- President's Day
Crystal Lake District 47
Thursday, February 17-No school, Martin Luther King Day
Monday, February 21 – School Improvement Day-Half Day student attendance
High School District 155
Monday, February 21 – Presidents Day – No School
McHenry County College-
Monday, February 21-Presidents Day -Classes in session
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