Americans have always regarded George Washington with great reverence. It became a custom to celebrate his birthday. He was born on this date in 1731. Or was he?
Congress designated February 22 as the first federal holiday. In 1879, the first official celebration in honor of Washington’s birthday took place. Upon becoming a state, North Dakota enthusiastically embraced the official holiday with community dinners and fireworks. Students in North Dakota schools, just like students in schools across the country, put on pageants and dutifully memorized Washington’s Farewell Address.
In 1951, the name “Presidents Day” was proposed as a day to recognize all those who had served in that office, but Congress never passed the proposal. It is often called Presidents Day; however, the official name remains Washington’s Birthday.
The day was changed once again in 1968. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act rescheduled many federal holidays to Mondays, giving federal employees more three-day weekends and avoiding midweek confusion in scheduling. Under this law, Washington’s Birthday is now celebrated on the third Monday of February. North Dakota acknowledges Washington’s Birthday as a state holiday, and state offices are closed for the day.
In 1922, the Grand Forks Herald reported that the great man’s birthday is more complicated than it first appears. While researching archival material, a historian came across a forgotten diary written by Washington himself. The entry for February 11, 1799, reads: “I went up to Alexandria to the celebration of my birthday. Many maneuvers were performed by the uniform military companies and an elegant ball and supper at night.”
So how did this confusion arise? Was George born on this date in 1731, or was he born on February 22, 1732? When George was born, Great Britain and all its colonies were still using the Julian calendar. The year began on March 25. When Great Britain changed to the Gregorian calendar that we use today, the year began on January 1. To make the adjustment, eleven days were dropped from the calendar. George’s birthday moved from February 11 to February 22.
So you can celebrate the first president on February 11, or February 22, or on the third Monday of the month. And if you’re a big Washington fan, you can celebrate on all three. Just take your pick.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Grand Forks Herald. “Washington’s Lost Diary Discovered.” Grand Forks ND. 2/22/1922. Page 6.
- ND Studies. “School Programs.” https://www.ndstudies.gov/gr8/content/unit-iii-waves-development-1861-1920/lesson-3-building-communities/topic-2-schools/section-4-school-programsAccessed 1/14/2026.
- Find Laws. “North Dakota Legal Holiday Laws.” https://www.findlaw.com/state/north-dakota-law/north-dakota-legal-holidays-laws.htmlAccessed 2/14/2026.
- George Washington’s Mount Vernon. “President’s Day? The Truth Behind the Holiday.” https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/facts/the-truth-about-presidents-dayAccessed 1/14/2026.
- National Park Service. “George Washington’s Birthday.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/george-washington-s-birthday.htmAccessed 1/14/2026.
