People across the U.S. will celebrate Presidents’ Day on February 21. The holiday is now seen as a day to honor all presidents. But it started out as a national holiday in 1879 to honor George Washington. In fact, the official name of the holiday is “Washington’s Birthday.” Later, many states also chose to honor Abraham Lincoln on Presidents’ Day. He was also born in February.
This year, the celebration for Lincoln will last longer. That’s because 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Memorial, the most popular landmark in Washington, D.C. It was built in our nation’s capital as a tribute to the 16th president of the U.S. Lincoln led the nation during the Civil War (1861-1865).
Construction on the memorial started in 1914 and took eight years to complete. It officially opened to the public in May 1922. In honor of the anniversary, the landmark is getting a makeover, which is set to be finished this year.