Celebrated on the third Monday of February, Presidents’ Day (also known as Washington’s Birthday) is a time when we can honor the people who have previously served as leaders of our nation.
This year, the federal holiday falls on February 19 — and in honor of the occasion, plenty of events are taking place where you can learn about the history of the United States and hear stories about its intrepid commanders of chief. From a tour of President Roosevelt’s childhood home to dining at the same restaurant where President Lincoln used to eat, here are 10 quirky and patriotic activities unfolding around New York City:
1. Presidents’ Day National Parks Conservation Association Press Event
On February 17 at 1pm, the National Parks Conservation Association is holding a Presidents’ Day press conference that will take place on the steps of Federal Hall National Memorial. The goal of the event is to encourage Congress to pass the National Park Service Legacy Act, which would provide funding for crumbling park infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, trails, and historic buildings.
Stand on the same steps that George Washington did when he took his oath of office, and let your voice be heard by bringing along posters and signs. The event will also feature music by the Patriot Brass Band. While you’re there, make sure to also pay a visit to Federal Hall, which stands today as a museum with various displays and exhibitions. Best yet: admission is free.
2. Tour Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthplace and Childhood Home
Take a free, intimate tour of Theodore Roosevelt’s childhood home, located on 28 East 20th Street in the Flatiron District. The recreated brownstone was rebuilt by the Women’s Roosevelt Memorial Association following the demolition of the original building in 1916. Today, it’s regarded as a National Historic Site, and holds artifacts from Roosevelt’s life, laid out across five period rooms. This includes the shirt he was wearing during an assassination attempt that took place as he was giving a speech in Milwaukee.
In addition to the tour, there are also gallery rooms and a political cartoon collection that is available to the public (fitting as Roosevelt was one of the most caricatured presidents of the United States). Make sure to also check out our previous article about other Roosevelt family houses you can find in New York City.
3. Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the Ellis Island Hospital
The abandoned Ellis Island Hospital complex—once the standard for United States medical care (and later transformed to the FBI headquarters when the island served as a detention center)—has been left to decay for nearly 60 years. Now, Untapped Cities is bringing you behind-the-scenes for an unique exploration of the abandoned facility; on this experience, you’ll visit the contagious disease wards, the autopsy rooms and have exclusive access to places usually closed to the public.
While Ellis Island has become one of New York City’s top tourist attractions, drawing over two million visitors per year, the 22-building South Side hospital complex is hidden in plain sight, just to the left of disembarking passengers headed towards the Great Hall. Looking at its desolate, skeletal frame now, it’s difficult to imagine its backstory as one of the largest public health undertakings in American history. Join us for our upcoming hard hat tour, guided by a Save Ellis Island docent, where we’ll uncover its many, buried secrets.
You may not be able to live like a president in the White House, but you can at least eat like one by dining at the restaurants that our former leaders once frequented. To start, whet your appetite at Il Mulino, where President Clinton said he had fish, pasta, and salad with President Obama in 2009. Located in Greenwich Village, this Italian eatery on 86 West Third Street is known for its expertly crafted dishes inspired by the flavors of Abruzzo, Italy.
Former President Clinton also celebrated his wedding anniversary at Fresco by Scotto, a family-run Tuscan restaurant located on 34 East 52nd Street in Midtown. The location is apparently very popular amongst politicians as former First Lady Laura Bush was reportedly spotted there with her daughters as well. Think you may share similar taste preferences as our nation’s leaders? Try the restaurant’s signature potato and zucchini chips dish served with gorgonzola cheese.
Going back a tad further into history, the Financial District’s Delmonico’s Restaurant on 56 Beaver Street was a favorite for Honest Abe, who loved its mashed potatoes covered in cheese and breadcrumbs.
5. ‘We the People’ Art Installation
“We the People,” a new sculpture by Nari Ward, will be on view at the New-York Historical Society Museum and Library from February 20 to 26. Head there between the 20th and the 24th to see the installation, to be made from donated shoelaces, being constructed.
Free with museum admission, the sculpture asks viewers to reflect upon and respond to the opening words of the Constitution: “We the People.” Visitors are also invited to post a sticky note to the museum’s “preamble wall” to share their thoughts with the public. Find out more information about the event here. In the meantime, brush up on 10 fun facts and secrets about the museum itself.
6. Check Out New York City’s Presidential Haunts
From its days as the last capitol of the United States under the Articles of Confederation and the first capitol under the Constitution, New York City has long been intertwined with the United States Presidency. Presented here are a collection of New York City’s presidential haunts, which have seen the birth, life, and death of many of our commanders in chief. Read up on their history, and then visit the sites in real life.
From the Morris Jumel mansion to St. Paul’s Chapel, we encourage you to embark on a self-guided tour around these places in honor of Presidents’ Day. Once you finish visiting the locations on our first list, tackle Part II here.
7. Northern Forts Tour
Central Park is full of surprises, but the north end specifically holds a lot of interesting facts about United States history. During the American Revolution and the War of 1812, for example, troops were stationed in the area. If you want to learn more about the park’s storied past, join a guided tour on February 19 at 11am, led by the Central Park Conservancy. You’ll gain insight into how the “Fort Landscape” was used during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and learn about the recent restorations that have taken place.
The tour costs $15 and lasts around 90 minutes. Come prepared with your best walking shoes as the paths consist of hills and stairs. Also, make sure to check out our Secrets of Central Park tour for more quirky facts and hidden surprises about New York City’s favorite green space.
On February 19 from 10am-6pm, the New-York Historical Society Museum and Library is hosting a presidential scavenger hunt, free with museum admission. Participants simply have to look for presidential memorabilia and images as they walk through the museum. In addition to this game, the New-York Historical Society will also hold “Handwriting the Constitution,” an event where visitors must read, write, and re-imagine the design of the foundational document written by our founding fathers. The first 20 participants will receive a pocket Constitution to take with them.
If you can’t get enough of scavenger hunts, pay a visit to the Museum of the City of New York as well. It’s hosting a similar event on February 19 from 11am to 2pm. As part of the programming, adults and kids are invited to create their own mini magazine (or zine) to illustrate U.S. presidential candidates over the years.
9. Weekend Open House at Fraunces Tavern
If you are looking for George Washington’s tooth, Fraunces Tavern is the place to be. The building on the corner of Pearl Street and Broad Street was constructed in 1719 in the Georgian style, as a home for the Delancey family. Samuel Fraunces, a revolutionary whose race remains a mystery, turned the yellow brick structure into a tavern called the Queen’s Head. It was a meeting spot for the Sons of Liberty and George Washington gave his farewell speech here on December 4, 1783.
Since 1904, the tavern has been under the ownership of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York. Though the many reconstructions it has undergone have attempted to restore the original edifice, several fires in the 19th century made it impossible to know the original building plan. Nowadays, Fraunces Tavern multitasks as a museum as well as a functioning restaurant and bar, where you can see artifacts from colonial America, portraits of George Washington and more. Plenty of presidential events are held here throughout the year, but in honor of Presidents’ Day, Fraunces Tavern will host a Weekend Open House with $1 admission!
10. Pay a Visit to the General Grant National Memorial
Washington D.C is typically the burial ground for America’s historic figures and great generals, but General Ulysses S. Grant, the great Civil War general and 18th President of the United States, is interred right here in New York City.
General Grant National Memorial, the final resting place of Ulysses S. Grant, is located on the northern end of Riverside Park adjacent to Columbia University. In 1885, at the age of 63, the great general died of throat cancer in Wilton, New York. To garner support for a national monument in Grant’s honor, the incumbent mayor at the time, William Russell Grace, wrote a letter to New Yorkers, which led to the formation of the Grant Monument Association (GMA). After much contention, the tomb was finally inaugurated on April 27, 1897, on the 75th anniversary ceremony of Grant’s birth and six years after construction started. Read more about the memorial here.
