The inaugural celebration of Patriots' Day took place on April 19, 1894. The holiday was established by a proclamation from Massachusetts Governor Frederic T. Greenhalge to commemorate the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the initial armed conflicts of the American Revolutionary War which occurred on April 19, 1775.
The establishment of this holiday was part of a larger cultural shift. It was created to replace Fast Day, a solemn Puritan holiday of prayer and fasting that had been observed in the region since the 17th century but had declined in relevance by the late 1800s. The new observance was designed to foster a sense of civic pride and patriotism. Initially, the holiday was fixed on the specific date of April 19. However, in 1969, both Massachusetts and Maine moved its observance to the third Monday in April, aligning with the federal Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create a three-day weekend.
Today, Patriots' Day remains a significant regional holiday, officially recognized in Massachusetts and Maine, and as a public school observance in Wisconsin. Its celebration is marked by historical reenactments, parades, and civic ceremonies, most notably at Lexington Green and Concord's Old North Bridge. The day is also famously associated with the Boston Marathon, which has been held on the holiday annually since 1897, solidifying its place as a day of both historical remembrance and contemporary community engagement.
