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Have you heard of Presidents Day? How about George Washington and Lincoln Day? Maybe you're more George Washington Day. All of these are names for a similar holiday and the actual federal holiday is none of the above. It's actually George Washington's birthday. All of these are holidays created for one reason to celebrate the life accomplishment of the first president, George Washington. Now they've looked at expanding into others, but that was the origin. Now, today, we celebrate that holiday almost universally on the third Monday in February. But originally, it was celebrated on a different day. It was celebrated on one day. George Washington's birthday. Today, George Washington is recognized as being born February 22nd, 1732. Along the shores of Pope's Creek here in Virginia. Now, if you would, ask his parents, Augustine and Mary Ball Washington, they would actually disagree with you on that February 22nd date. To them, officially, George Washington was born February 11th, 1731. The change in these dates is due to a change in the calendar. In the 1750s, George Washington's birthday would be updated to its current date when the British Empire changed from its old calendar to the current calendar we recognize today. That change brought with it a movement of 11 days and a change in the year, because for the British Empire officially the New Year was March 25th, not January one like it is today But when they shifted in the 1750s to their current calendar, they also moved the new year along with it to be January one, moving George's birthday from its original February 11th to our current February 22nd. Now, which of those days George would have recognized for himself? We aren't sure, but I can tell you he only celebrated a few of those birthdays here because by the time George is three years old, his family are going to move from the property here to another property further up the Potomac River. George's birth here has been memorialized as early as 1815 when his step grandson, George Washington Park Custis, laid a stone on what he believed to be the original Washington family property. Now, over time, memorialization has continued to evolve and change. In 1896, a memorial obelisk was erected on what they believed to be the original property, and it's later moved to where you can see it is located today at the entrance to the park. Now, in the 1920s, during the peak of the colonial revival movement and the rise towards George's 200th anniversary, the Wakefield National Memorial Association is going to be created and their going to come together with the goal to create a 1700s era farm on this property. And it's going to be them that are on the move that obelisk to its current location and their going to create the entire memorial area, which includes a memorial house, a colonial kitchen, and the farm all around me. They're going to have it all completed within a period of about nine years. And they are going to dedicate it and open it on the 200th anniversary of George's birth. George's bicentennial. In 1930, the National Park Service was entrusted with the land in the then in construction memorial area to preserve and protect. Thanks to George's birth on the site here, we've had the opportunity to talk about more than just George Washington. We've had the unique opportunity here to be able to talk about the Native American tribes and nations. The arrival of the European settlers arriving actually from Maryland, ironically enough, the enslaved people story that's here. And over five generations of the Washington family that are here. So from us here at George Washington Birthplace National Monument, we hope you enjoy Washington's birthday no matter how you celebrate it or what you decide to call it. Have a Happy Washington's Birthday

Duration:

5 minutes, 7 seconds

Happy Presidents' Day! Or is it Washington’s Birthday? What date would George Washington recognize as his birthday? Ranger Jonathan has the answers.

 

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Duration:

3 minutes, 12 seconds

How do we protect our vulnerable cultural sites? At George Washington Birthplace National Monument, an intern gathers data so park staff can monitor how storms and increased erosion are affecting sites that tell the story of our nation.

 

 

The Moving of the Monument at George Washington Birthplace National Monument.

Click the title above to watch the black and white historic video filmed in the 1930's that depicts moving the monument from its original spot in the memorial area to where it sits today, at the entrance to the park. The music accompanying the film is the George Washington Bicentennial March by John Philip Sousa.