Three presidents served in 1841. They were Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, and John Tyler. 

Every third Monday of February (February 16), we celebrate Presidents’ Day in all its patriotic glory. Many people relish their day off from work, but they might be surprised to know that that was the point! In 1971, Presidents’ Day was moved in an effort to create more three-day weekends for the public in the hope that this would inspire greater productivity nationwide. It was believed that at this point in the year, the restorative effects of the winter holidays had begun to fade, and people needed another break to regain some of that lost stamina.

• 1841 – Three U.S. presidents served in 1841, a year often noted for having three different chief executives due to a death in office, were Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, and John Tyler. 
• 1879 – President Rutherford B. Hayes signs Washington’s Birthday into law.
• 1880s – The origin of Presidents Day dates to the 1880s, when George Washington’s birthday was celebrated as a federal holiday.
• 1888 – George Washington’s Farewell Address has been read in the Senate on February 22nd of most years.
• 1968 – Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, which moved several federal holidays to Mondays.
• 1980s – Presidents’ Day becomes the common term, honoring all presidents and creating a marketing boon for retailers.
• 2006 – the year a Grammy Award was given to Barack Obama for his voiceover on the audiobook “Dreams From My Father.”
• Washington’s birthplace is a national monument and is located in Colonial Beach, VA
• Presidents Day is still officially called Washington’s Birthday by the federal government
• Lincoln’s birthplace is a national historical park and is located in Hodgenville, Kentucky
• President Ulysses S. Grant established Yellowstone as the first national park
• President Theodore Roosevelt has the most national parks named in his honor
• Lincoln is a close runner-up for that title
• Roosevelt’s birthplace is a national historic site and is located in New York City, NY
• Adams National Historical Park was the birthplace of two presidents: John Adams and John Quincy Adams
• Forty years later, this same phenomenon occurred again in 1881. Name the three presidents who served that year. (Answer 2 at end)
• Name the three presidents who died on July 4th. (Answer 3 at end)
• Four presidents were assassinated while in office:
  • Abraham Lincoln in 1865
  • James Garfield in 1881
  • William McKinley in 1901
  • John F. Kennedy in 1963.
• The most recent presidential birthplace added to the National Park System belonged to William Jefferson Clinton
• There are 35 parks named after American Presidents, and one park that celebrates four of them (but it’s named after a New York attorney)
• George Washington was the only president unanimously elected. Meaning all of the state representatives voted for him.
• John Adams died on the same day as Thomas Jefferson, July 4th, 1826. This day was also the 50th anniversary of the approval of the Declaration of Independence!
• Thomas Jefferson was also an accomplished architect. He designed his famous home at Monticello as well as buildings for the University of Virginia.
• James Madison and George Washington are the only presidents who signed the Constitution.
• James Madison was the shortest president at 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 100 pounds. Abraham Lincoln was the tallest president at 6 feet 4 inches tall (Lyndon B. Johnson was also 6′ 4″).
• James Monroe was the 5th president, but the 3rd to die on the 4th of July.
• On the day he was shot, Lincoln told his bodyguard that he had dreamt he would be assassinated.
• Abraham Lincoln often stored things like letters and documents in his tall stove-piped hat.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt met President Grover Cleveland when he was five years old. Cleveland said “I am making a wish for you. It is that you may never become president of the United States”.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first president to appear on television during a 1939 broadcast from the World’s Fair.
• At 42 years, 10 months, 18 days old, Teddy Roosevelt was the youngest man to hold the office of president. Ronald Reagan was the oldest at 69 years 11 months. John F. Kennedy was the youngest to be elected president.
• Teddy Roosevelt was blind in his left eye due to an injury in a boxing match.
• When Ronald Reagan was shot by an assassin in 1981, he joked, “I forgot to duck”.
• The “S” in Harry S. Truman does not stand for anything.
• John F. Kennedy was the first president who was a Boy Scout.
• Woodrow Wilson was buried at the Washington National Cathedral. He is the only president buried in Washington D.C.
• Andrew Jackson was shot in the chest during a gun dual, but managed to stay standing and shoot and kill his opponent. The bullet could not be safely removed and remained in his chest for the next 40 years.
• George W. Bush is the only president to have a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
• Barack Obama won a Grammy Award in 2006 for his voice on the audio book Dreams From My Father.
• After working at a Baskin-Robbins as a teen, President Obama no longer likes ice cream.
• Bill Clinton enjoys playing the saxophone and was a member of a band called “Three Blind Mice” in high school.
• Martin Van Buren was the first president to be born as a citizen of the United States. The presidents before him were born as British subjects.
• Martin Van Buren was the only president to speak English as a second language. His first language was Dutch.
• William Henry Harrison was the 9th president. His grandson, Benjamin Harrison, was the 23rd president.
• John Tyler had 15 children. The White House must have been hopping!
• James K. Polk was the first president to have his photograph taken while in office.
• William Henry Harrison died just 32 days after becoming president. He died from a cold he got while standing in the rain giving his inauguration speech.
• There are three universities and the capital of the United States, Washington DC named after George Washington, as is Washington State.
• George Washington is featured on the quarter and the one-dollar bill.
• 3 – the number of universities named after George Washington.
• 5 – the number of national parks named after Roosevelt.
• 6’4″ – President Lincoln’s height, making him the tallest president ever.
• 4 – the number of American Presidents with a February birthday.
• 32 – the number of days after becoming president that William Henry Harrison passed away.
• 5’4″ – President James Madison’s height, making him the shortest president ever.
• 42 – the age of President Teddy Roosevelt at the start of his tenure, making him the youngest to ever hold office.
• Books about Presidents:
  • Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow: This Pulitzer Prize-winning biography provides an honest portrait of George Washington, the man who became the United States’ first president.
  • Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
    This book chronicles the life and presidency of Abraham Lincoln, focusing on his ability to lead and manage a diverse group of advisors and cabinet members.
  • John F. Kennedy: A Biography by Michael O’Brien: A comprehensive biography of JFK, examining the life and legacy of the 35th president, from his childhood and education to his assassination in 1963.
  • The Reagan Diaries edited by Douglas Brinkley: A collection of diary entries written by President Ronald Reagan during his two terms in office, this book provides a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the Reagan presidency.
  • Barack Obama: The Story by David Maraniss: Offering a detailed and nuanced portrait of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, it covers Obama’s early life, political career, and presidency, and offers insight into the man and his leadership style.
•  While Presidents’ Day is a federal holiday, some states do not officially observe it. For example, Delaware does not recognize the day as a state holiday.

Sources:

National Day Calendar

National Parks

Ducksters

Soft Schools

National Today

Days of the Year