Who can we thank for Thanksgiving?

As school children, we were taught that Thanksgiving originated as a grand feast between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans in colonial New England.

One thing they forgot to mention: the modern holiday has George Washington to thank. On Oct. 3, 1789, President Washington penned the Thanksgiving Proclamation. It stated that Thursday, Nov. 26 would officially become the national day of thanks. He explained the need for a day of gratitude in thanking the Almighty for His help in the Revolutionary War and establishing the Constitution.

Take a trip to Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, to see the original proclamation.

– Margot Calmar, The 100 Companies