Fun Facts about Presidents You Shouldn't Miss!

Presidents' Day, a national holiday in the United States, celebrates the nation's leaders, both past and present. Originally established in 1885 to honor George Washington's birthday, the holiday has since evolved into a broader tribute to the presidency itself.

While it may not be as widely observed as other federal holidays, Presidents' Day holds significant historical and cultural value. The day is especially associated with George Washington, the nation's first president, and Abraham Lincoln, who led the country through the Civil War and played a pivotal role in abolishing slavery. Though both of their birthdays fall in February, the holiday now serves as a celebration of all U.S. presidents.

In addition to reflecting on the nation's leadership, Presidents' Day has become a time for Americans to take advantage of sales events, test their knowledge with presidential trivia, or simply pause to think about the history of the country.

As Presidents' Day continues to evolve, we thought it would be a perfect opportunity to share some fun facts about presidents, all while celebrating the leaders who have shaped the nation!

How Presidents Day Became More Than Just a Day Off?

Before we jump into the fun facts about Presidents Day, let's take a moment to understand how this holiday came to be.

Presidents' Day wasn't always the celebration we know today. It originally began as Washington's Birthday, officially recognized in 1879 to honor the first U.S. president. For nearly a century, the holiday was observed on February 22, the actual birthday of George Washington, to commemorate his leadership and lasting impact on the nation.

Fast forward to 1971, when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act came into play. In an effort to give workers more long weekends, Congress moved several holidays to Mondays, including Washington's Birthday. This shift placed the holiday on the third Monday of February each year, which meant it no longer always fell on Washington's actual birthday. As a result, over time, Presidents' Day evolved into a celebration not just of Washington but of all U.S. presidents.

While the federal government still officially refers to the holiday as Washington's Birthday, it's widely known as Presidents' Day. Schools, businesses, and communities across the country now use this day to honor past and present presidents and reflect on their influence on the nation.

Presidents Day Traditions Across the U.S.

Presidents' Day is a time for celebrations across the country. Many states and cities hold parades, historical reenactments, and public ceremonies to honor past leaders. Some of the biggest events take place in places with strong presidential ties, such as Washington, D.C., and Mount Vernon, where people gather to hear speeches, watch performances, and reflect on the nation's history.

Different regions have their own special ways of marking Presidents' Day, each with a unique local flair:

• Some towns hold cherry pie festivals to honor the George Washington cherry tree legend.
• Communities host reenactments of key presidential moments, bringing history to life.
• Museums and historic sites offer special Presidents' Day exhibits on the nation's leaders.

Schools and communities also celebrate in creative ways. 

• Students take part in trivia, essay contests, and activities about the country's leaders.
• Some communities hold patriotic events to reflect on the nation's values and decisions.
• Presidents Day fun facts are also shared about past leaders and their achievements.

Fun & Unusual Facts About U.S. Presidents

Presidents may shape history, but they also have quirks and stories that make them just as interesting as the country they led. From bizarre pets to strange past jobs, here are some of the most entertaining and little-known facts about U.S. presidents.

Presidents with Unusual Hobbies

Not all leaders spent their free time reading or writing. Here are some president fun facts that might surprise you:

• Teddy Roosevelt's obsession with Jiu-Jitsu – Apart from being a tough talker, Roosevelt practiced Jiu-Jitsu and even had lessons in the White House. He believed in staying physically strong and often wrestled with his military aides to stay in shape.
• Calvin Coolidge's pet raccoons – Coolidge kept not one but two pet raccoons, Rebecca and Reuben, at the White House. Originally sent as a Thanksgiving meal, Rebecca became a beloved pet, often seen on a leash roaming the halls.
• John Quincy Adams' daily skinny-dipping – Adams had an unusual morning routine; he swam in the Potomac River completely naked every day. A journalist once sat on his clothes and refused to return them until Adams agreed to an interview.

Strangest Presidential Pets

Presidents have had some truly bizarre pets, far beyond the usual dogs and cats. Here are some of the oddest:

• John Quincy Adams kept an alligator in the White House bathtub, a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette. He reportedly loved scaring guests with it.
• Thomas Jefferson had two grizzly bears sent to him as a gift. He kept them on the White House lawn for a while.
• Andrew Jackson's parrot cursed like a sailor and had to be removed from his funeral because it wouldn't stop swearing.

Presidential Food Preferences

Presidents may dine at fancy state dinners, but their personal tastes are sometimes surprisingly simple, or just plain fun.

• Abraham Lincoln loved apples and coffee – He preferred plain, hearty food and often said apples were his favorite snack. He paired them with coffee, which he drank regularly.
• Ronald Reagan had a sweet tooth for jelly beans – He started eating them to quit smoking and ended up making them a White House staple. His favorite flavor? Licorice.
• Barack Obama had a secret chili recipe – He claimed it was a personal favorite and often cooked it himself.

Presidents with Secret Talents

Many had skills that went far beyond politics. Some of these Presidents fun facts might even surprise you:

• Thomas Jefferson was a language genius – He could write in Greek, Latin, and English simultaneously, using different hands for different languages.
• Bill Clinton rocked the saxophone – He played on national television and even jammed on The Arsenio Hall Show during his campaign.
• Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer – Before becoming president, he ran a peanut farm in Georgia, managing every part of the business himself.

Presidents Who Held Strange Jobs Before Politics

Before leading the country, some presidents worked in jobs you wouldn't expect. Here are the related presidential fun facts:

• Andrew Johnson was a tailor – He made his own suits even while serving as president.
• Herbert Hoover worked as a mining engineer – He traveled the world, managing mining operations in Australia and China.
• Harry S. Truman sold men's clothing – He co-owned a haberdashery (a men's clothing shop) in Missouri before entering politics.

Presidents Who Loved Pranks

Some presidents had a mischievous side and loved pulling pranks on friends, staff, and even guests.

• Calvin Coolidge pressed all the White House call buttons – Then he'd hide and watch as staff scrambled to see what was wrong.
• Lyndon B. Johnson terrified guests with his amphibious car – He'd drive it straight into a lake, pretending the brakes had failed.
• Theodore Roosevelt walked on stilts around the White House – He even encouraged his children to join in, making the White House lawn look like a circus.

Presidents by the Numbers: Fascinating Statistics

Presidents have come in all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, and the numbers behind their lives tell some interesting stories. From towering figures to surprise election victories, these statistics reveal some unexpected facts about the men who have led the United States.

Tallest & Shortest Presidents

Here are president fun facts for students: Height doesn't decide leadership, but U.S. presidents have varied greatly in size.

• Tallest president: Abraham Lincoln stood at 6 feet 4 inches, making him the tallest U.S. president.
• Shortest president: James Madison, at 5 feet 4 inches, was a full foot shorter than Lincoln.

Interestingly, taller candidates have often had an advantage in elections, with voters linking height to leadership strength.

Youngest & Oldest Presidents at Inauguration

Age has played a big role in presidential history, from young trailblazers to seasoned leaders.

• Youngest president: Teddy Roosevelt took office at 42 after William McKinley's assassination.
• Oldest president: At 78, Donald Trump regained the title of the oldest American to take the presidential oath of office.

Presidential Salaries Over Time

The president's salary has changed dramatically since the country's founding.

• 1789: George Washington earned $25,000 per year—a huge sum at the time.
• 1873: Ulysses S. Grant’s salary doubled to $50,000.
• 1949: Harry Truman's pay jumped to $100,000.
• 1969: Richard Nixon earned $200,000, plus an expense account.
• 2001 – Today: Since George W. Bush's presidency, the salary has been $400,000 per year.

President Education Levels

Not every president had an Ivy League education as some had no formal schooling at all. Did you know these Presidents fun facts?

• Many presidents attended schools like Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.
• 9 U.S. presidents never attended college, including Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman.
• Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both attended Harvard, but Jefferson went on to study law at the College of William & Mary.
• Franklin Pierce is the only president who attended Bowdoin College.
• Andrew Johnson, who became president after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, had no formal education and learned to read and write on his own.

Presidents with the Most Kids

Family sizes have varied among presidents, but one holds the record.

• John Tyler had the most children – 15 kids from two marriages.
• William Henry Harrison had 10 children.
• Theodore Roosevelt had 6 children.
• James Madison, despite being known as the "Father of the Constitution," had no children of his own but adopted his wife's daughter from a previous marriage.

Presidents Who Lost the Popular Vote but Still Won

Sometimes, winning the most votes isn't enough to become president. The Electoral College has led to several surprise victories.

Here are election fun facts about the presidents:

• 1824: John Quincy Adams lost the popular vote but won in the House of Representatives.
• 1876: Rutherford B. Hayes won despite losing the popular vote by over 250,000.
• 2000: George W. Bush lost the popular vote to Al Gore but won the presidency.
• 2016: Donald Trump lost the popular vote to Hillary Clinton by nearly 3 million votes but secured the presidency through the Electoral College.

Odd Tidbits About Presidents

Presidents might be known for their policies and leadership, but they also have their share of bizarre, little-known facts.

• James Garfield was ambidextrous and multilingual. He could write in Latin with one hand while simultaneously writing in Greek with the other.
• Herbert Hoover's son had two pet alligators. They sometimes roamed the White House grounds, much to the alarm of guests.
• Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day. Both passed away on July 4, 1826 - exactly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
• Gerald Ford was a fashion model. Before politics, he appeared in Cosmopolitan magazine as a male model.
• Lyndon B. Johnson had a custom-made shower with water jets. He was obsessed with showers and had a special one installed in the White House with multiple high-pressure jets.
• Calvin Coolidge had an odd morning ritual. He liked to have petroleum jelly rubbed on his head while eating breakfast in bed.
• Teddy Roosevelt could deliver a speech after being shot. During a campaign event, he was shot in the chest but insisted on finishing his speech before seeking medical attention.
• Franklin Pierce was arrested while in office. He was charged with running over an elderly woman with his horse but was never prosecuted.
• Bill Clinton won two Grammy Awards. Not for music but for spoken-word recordings.
• George Washington refused a salary. He initially declined a paycheck but eventually accepted $25,000 a year, which was a huge sum at the time.
• Barack Obama won a Grammy before becoming president. He earned it for the audiobook version of Dreams from My Father.
• William Howard Taft once got stuck in a bathtub. The 300-pound president had to be helped out, leading to a custom-built extra-large tub.

That's a Wrap

As we've seen, even the most serious leaders had their quirks, reminding us that history is full of unexpected moments, not just politics! It's always fascinating to discover the lesser-known fun facts about US presidents who have shaped the nation. And, while you reflect on the legacy behind Presidents' Day, why not keep exploring more presidential trivia? There's always something new to discover!