In honor of Presidents’ Day, recognized federally and in some states as Washington’s Birthday, Small Business Development Corporation of Orange County will be closed on Monday, February 16. The third Monday in February is celebrated in most states as Presidents’ Day. However, the holiday was first created by Congress in 1879 in honor of George Washington, the nation’s first president, whose birthday is on February 22. In the late 20th century, the holiday became unofficially known as Presidents’ Day in recognition of Washington and Abraham Lincoln, who was born on February 12.

The use of the third Monday in February is tied to a law passed in 1968 called the ‘Uniform Monday Holiday Act’ designed to provide more three-day weekends. So Washington’s Feb. 22 birthday holiday moved to the third Monday of February, although the name of the holiday was never officially changed. To learn more, click here.