Patriots' Day is not a national holiday celebrated in every state. It is an official state holiday observed only in Massachusetts, Maine, and Wisconsin. The observance occurs annually on the third Monday in April. While other states may have historical recognitions related to the American Revolution, these three are the only ones to have legally designated it as a public holiday.
The holiday's origins are deeply rooted in regional history, commemorating the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which took place on April 19, 1775, and marked the start of the American Revolutionary War. Massachusetts, where the battles occurred, was the first to declare it a holiday. Maine's observance stems from its history as a district of Massachusetts until 1820. Wisconsin's adoption of the holiday is more recent and symbolic, connecting the date to the first bloodshed of the Civil War, which also happened on April 19 (in 1861), rather than the Revolutionary War events. The date is also famously associated with the running of the Boston Marathon.
The practical implication of its status as a state holiday is that its effects, such as the closure of state and local government offices, schools, and some businesses, are confined to the observing states. For the vast majority of the United States, it is a standard workday. This distinction exemplifies how historical commemoration in the U.S. can be highly localized, reflecting specific events that are foundational to a region's identity rather than the nation as a whole.
