Tag Archives: history

It’s Presidents’ Day here in the US, and for many, it’s a holiday that includes snow, skiing, and driving. There are a few US flags flying though, so I thought I’d dig up a few fun facts about the Presidents we honor today.

While Presidents’ Day honors all Presidents, it was selected because it falls near both George Washington’s (our first President) and Abraham Lincoln’s (our sixteenth President) birthdays.  These two men are more than historical figures, they are part of the American lexicon.  Their faces are on our money: Washington on the $1 and the quarter, Lincoln on the $5 and the penny; so we see them every day. But that’s only the beginning…

How many towns or cities are named Lincoln? 42, plus 25 close matches like Lincoln Park, MI (chacha.com)

How many cities are named Washington? As of the 2000 census, over 40 have Washington in the name (chacha.com). There’s 21 named Mount Vernon, including Washington’s home. (www.kgbanswers.com)

What about counties?  31 for Washington and 27 for Lincoln. Jefferson, Jackson, and Madison also have over 20 counties named for them. (wikipedia.org)

Washington also has a state named after him, as well as the District of Columbia.

I won’t even attempt to count the number of streets named after these men – the number must be in the thousands.

Other presidents also adorn our money…Grant is on the $50, Jackson on the $20, and Jefferson on the $2. Jefferson is also on the nickel, Eisenhower on the dime, Kennedy on the half dollar. And all the Presidents will be on the dollar coin eventually – the US Mint is producing coins with each President’s image in order of their service at a rate of 4 coins a year, I believe.

What other Presidents touch your lives?  I used to live near a street named Van Buren in Phoenix, Arizona, and believe it or not, Lincoln was my cousin…many many times removed!

Happy President’s Day!

 

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