Presidents Day In Waltham 2019: What To Know

WALTHAM, MA — Three cheers for a three-day weekend if you work for the government or go to school. It also means there will be no trash and recycling pick up, and that means it will be delayed. But the extra good news? Free parking all day on Monday.

In case you were wondering, the day was actually established in 1885 to honor President George Washington. Then, as part of a Uniform Monday Holiday Act that proposed the country celebrate holidays on Mondays rather than the day they fell on the calendar so that workers could have three-day weekends, it was proposed to be changed. That didn't go over so well at first.

During debate on the bill, it was proposed that Washington's Birthday be renamed Presidents Day to celebrate the birthdays of both Washington on Feb. 22 and President Abe Lincoln's on Feb. 12. Congress actually rejected the name change in 1968 version of the bill. But after the bill went into effect in 1971, Presidents Day became the commonly accepted name anyway.

Here's a look at the type of things that are open and closed on Presidents Day, Mon., Feb. 18.

Businesses: Are you open on Presidents Day? Do you have a deal going on? Email jenna.fisher@patch.com, and we'll let readers know!

• Waltham, state, federal offices: Closed
• Schools: Closed
• Libraries: Closed
• Post Office: Closed
• Banks: Closed
• Restaurants: Open
• Retail stores: Open
• Supermarkets: Open
• Liquor stores: Open
• Gas stations: Open
• Movie theaters: Open

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff