The third Monday in February is Presidents’ Day

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - February 15, 2021, is Presidents’ Day.

A holiday that also has many other names like “Washington’s Birthday” or “George Washington Day” in Virginia.

Virginia was home to Washington and some other U.S. presidents.

“Presidents’ Day” always falls on the third Monday of February and commemorates the presidents of the United States.

Andrew Phillips is the curator at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library in Staunton and said the holiday can mean a lot of things to different people.

Some people celebrate the presidents they particularly like, but he says it is also a good chance to reflect on the role of U.S. presidents and their history, both positive and negative.

“...All who have achieved a variety of different things, positive and negative, that still continue to affect our world today, our nation, and our lives today,” Phillips said.

“It’s not just a day where we can have things like mattress sales and get out the red, white and blue bunting in February, but also a great day to sort of think about the history of the American presidency,” Phillips said.

A lot of presidential history has happened in the Shenandoah Valley, such as George Washington visiting Augusta County and Woodrow Wilson was born in Staunton.

Abraham Lincoln’s father was born north of Harrisonburg.