Presidents' Day: 7 myths about George Washington

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Monday, February 19, 2024

George Washington, the first president of the United States of America. | Public Domain

On Monday, the United States will observe a holiday commonly known as Presidents Day, but it's officially designated as “Washington’s Birthday.”

Falling on the third Monday of February, the observance is meant to celebrate the birthday of George Washington, the nation's first president, who was born on Feb. 22, 1732.

As a major Founding Father, a president and a general, many stories and legends have arisen about the life of Washington, and some of the things he might or might not have done.

Some of these myths remain pretty fringe and fairly obscure in modern America, while others have a history of being taught as fact in public schools and are oft cited in popular culture.

Here in no particular order are seven myths and legends about George Washington. They include the claim that he had wooden teeth, that he threw a silver coin across the Potomac River, and that he had a vision of the future United States.