For Americans with conventional work schedules, Monday holidays are often a blessing. However, despite the extra weekend day, these observances can also sneak up on you and be confusing.

Today (Monday, February 16) is Presidents’ Day, which is officially known as Washington’s Birthday. In this story, we’ll break down what exactly is open and closed on the day that we celebrate all the commanders in chief. Before we get into all that, let’s look at the history of the day and how it came to be.

What does George Washington have to do with it?

George Washington, the first president of the United States, has everything to do with Presidents’ Day. The holiday evolved out of a remembrance of the man who helped defeat the British and usher the country into a new era as an independent nation.

Washington served as head of state from 1789 to 1797 and died in 1799. The following year many began celebrating his legacy on his birthday, February 22.

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It wasn’t until 1879 that his birthday became a federal holiday, when President Rutherford B. Hayes signed it into law. At first this new edict only included Washington, D.C., but in 1885 the whole country got in on the act.

What about Abraham Lincoln?

The 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, is also associated with Presidents’ Day because of his February 12 birthday. Some states such as Illinois recognized it as day of observance even though it was never an official federal holiday.

Lincoln’s leadership through the Civil War cemented his legacy as a major political figure.

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