Celebrate Presidents Day on Monday, February 15, 2016

Presidents Day, officially Washington’s Birthday, is a federal holiday observed in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States. The holiday also honors all U.S. presidents.

The cherry tree myth is the most well-known and enduring legend about George Washington. It was invented by biographer Mason Locke Weems, who added the myth to the fifth edition of his book, “The Life of Washington.” In the original story, when Washington was 6 years old he received a hatchet as a gift and damaged his father’s cherry tree. When his father confronted him, young George said, “I cannot tell a lie…I did cut it with my hatchet.”

Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, is the most popular historic estate in America, with over 85 million people having visited since 1860, when it officially opened to the public.

To learn more about George Washington and the cherry tree myth, visit www.mountvernon.org.

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