George Washington’s Fireplace

February has arrived. Lincoln’s birthday. Washington’s birthday. Presidents’ Day.

George Washington was born February 22, 1973 in Pops Creek. His birthday is celebrated as a federal holiday on the third Monday in February. The United States has celebrated Washington’s birthday since he was a sitting president. Chester A. Arthur, the 21st president, signed a bill making it a federal holiday.

If you are looking for a place in Southern California to connect with presidential history, I suggest a visit to Knott‘s Berry Farm in Buena Park. I’ve spent a lot of time at this park having grown up in Orange County. My mother’s side of the family has been in the County since the 1930s. In fact, my grandmother worked for the Knott family and my mom and her sisters worked at the park when they were teenagers.

I always make a pit stop to one of the early attractions built to entertain the guests as they waited for seating in the family restaurant. There is a recreation of George Washington’s Fireplace from Mount Vernon hidden near the restrooms at the back of the Berry Market in the California Marketplace. Enter the Berry Market and look for a door marked restrooms, enter the atrium and to the left is the kitchen.

Afterwards, head over the brick-for-brick replica of Independence Hall.

States don’t have to adopt federal holidays, but many do. California refers to the holiday as Presidents’ Day and throws in Lincoln’s birthday. The federal holiday has never been renamed and remains Washington’s birthday.

Interestingly, the third Monday in February will always fall between the 15th and 21st and therefore the holiday is always after Lincoln’s birthday and before Washington’s birthday.