Barks! Happy President's Day

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BARKS!  In honor of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln whose birthdays we celebrate on this pawsome holiday, I have collected a few interesting facts about each which you probably don't know-

George Washington: 

• He is the only president in American history was was unanimously elected!

• He kept and bred many hunting hounds!  WOOF!! WOOF!!! Known as the "Father of the American Foxhound." He had more than 30 of the dogs. 

• Washington didn't have to wear a wig.  He had real hair which was powdered.  

• He is the only president to have actually gone into battle while serving as President.

• In 1976. he was posthumously rewarded the highest rank in the American military ever!  General of the Armies of the United States!

• Washington's birthday is a bit confusing. He was born on February 11, 1731.  Barkingly, a switch to the Gregorian calendar from the Julian calendar caused his birthday to be moved eleven days,  WOOF!  Since the day fell before the old date for New Year’s Day, but after the new date for New Year’s Day, his birth year was changed to 1732. WOOF!!! 

Abraham Lincoln:

• Have you ever been to the White House and seen the Lincoln Bedroom or heard of it?  BARKS!! Lincoln never slept there!  Though one of the most famous rooms in the White House, it was an office during his Presidency.  During the Truman Administration, it was renovated and the Lincoln Bedroom which still features a few pieces of furniture from his day.

• Earlier in the day before he was shot, Lincoln had created the U.S. Secret Service in 1865, but not for what you think! BARKS! It's original mission was to combat currency counterfeiting.  After the killing of two presidents, in 1901 the Secret Service was assigned to protect the president.

• In Illinois, Lincoln was often seen with his dog Fido as he did errands to the local market or to get his hair cut. Fido was a floppy-eared, rough-coated, yellowish dog of uncertain ancestry. Despite his love and companionship, and his son's attempts to change his mind, Fido wasn't taken to the White House!  Lincoln was concerned the travel, noise and confusion would be too much for the great dog! Family friends cared for the dog instead. Pawsingly, it wasn't long before another dog, Jip, joined the family in the White House- along with a host of other animals!! BARKS!!! Lincoln was fond of cats too! 

• Lincoln was a fan of John Wilkes Booth who was quite the acclaimed actor in his day!  Nowadays, Booth is universally remembered as Lincoln’s assassin.

• Lincoln is the only president to have obtained a patent. Lincoln loved tinkering with machines. After being on a steamboat which ran aground on low shoals causing it to unload its cargo, Lincoln designed a method for keeping vessels afloat when traversing shallow waters through the use of empty metal air chambers attached to their sides. For his design, Lincoln obtained Patent No. 6,469 in 1849.

• BARKS! Why did Lincoln have a beard?  At the meows of an 11-year-old Grace Bedell, an 11-year from Westfield, New York, Lincoln began to grow his signature beard.  She wrote him a letter advising ti let the whiskers grow as it would serve him well.  She thought his face was too thin.  The two met during his campaign trail stop in Westfield!  Later the future president thanked the girl for her advice!