*** CACHE IS NOT
AT THE LISTED COORDINATES ***
BACKGROUND:
According to the federal government, the holiday observed on the
third Monday in February is officially Washington's
Birthday. But many Americans believe that this holiday is now
called Presidents Day, in honor of both Presidents
Washington and Lincoln, whose birthdays are Feb. 22 and Feb. 12,
respectively. It turns out that whether you honor one or the other
or both of these presidents may depend on where you live.
The states are not obliged to adopt federal holidays, which only
affect federal offices and agencies. While most states have adopted
Washington's Birthday, a dozen of them officially celebrate
Presidents Day. A number of the states that celebrate Washington's
Birthday also recognize Lincoln's Birthday as a separate legal
holiday.
In 1968, Congress passed the Monday Holidays Act, which moved
the official observance of Washington's birthday from Feb. 22 to
the third Monday in February. Some reformers had wanted to change
the name of the holiday as well, to Presidents' Day, in honor of
both Lincoln and Washington, but that proposal was rejected by
Congress, and the holiday remained officially Washington's
Birthday.
But in 1971, when the Act went into effect, President Nixon
proclaimed the holiday as Presidents Day, to commemorate all past
presidents, not just Lincoln and Washington. This idea was never
intended or authorized by Congress; nevertheless, it gained a
strong hold on the public consciousness.
Washington's Birthday has a history as old as our country. It
was celebrated publicly for the first time in the late 18th
century, while George Washington was still president.
Washington's Birthday became official in 1885, when President
Chester Arthur signed a bill making it a federal holiday.
Meanwhile, there was President Lincoln's birthday on Feb. 12, which
never became a federal holiday but was celebrated as a legal
holiday in many states outside the old Confederacy.
Many people feel that Lincoln, the president credited with
preserving the nation during the Civil War, has been short-changed.
To them, having Presidents Day is a sensible way to recognize both
Washington and Lincoln. Others feel just as strongly that having an
inclusive Presidents Day diminishes Washington's importance in
American history.
THE CACHE:
Retain the degrees and minutes of the listed coordinates. Use
the following images to determine the correct decimal-minutes
portion of the latitude and longitude:
Now punch in the resulting coordinates and hit the road. You'll
be looking for a camouflaged spice bottle holding a logscroll, a
pen, and a few tiny trade items. Hail to the Chief!
