Labor Day. For many Americans, the arrival of this holiday means that summer is over and it’s time to send the kids back to school. But Labor Day isn’t just about getting family and friends together for one last seasonal barbecue—it’s a day set aside to honor the working men and women who make our country great.
While today we celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday in September, the very first Labor Day celebration actually took place on a Tuesday. It wasn’t a party so much as a protest.
Working conditions in the United States during the late 1800s were deplorable: men working 12 hour days, seven days a week, barely earned enough to make ends meet, and children as young as five were put to work in factories and mines. Workplaces were often unsafe and unsanitary, and the 15-minute coffee break was unheard of. To fight for better working conditions, on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, more than 10,000 workers across left their stations and staged a protest march across New York City. This was the first Labor Day parade.
The idea of workers’ rights spread across the country, which led to the declaration of an official “workingmen’s holiday.” In 1887 Oregon became the first state to have an official Labor Day, and in 1894 Congress passed a law declaring the first Monday of September a federal holiday.
In Ohio, we celebrate Labor Day in a similar fashion as the rest of the country: with fairs and festivals. This is a time for families and friends to gather together, reflect on what they did over the summer, and start looking forward to harvest time and the fall foliage.
Here in Hocking Hills, Labor Day is the last chance to head to the pool in Hocking Hills State Park and catch the last outdoor concerts and movies of the season. The long weekend also features Canal Winchester’s Annual Labor Day Festival, which is one of the biggest local festivals of the year. Read more about Labor Day in Hocking Hills.
Labor Day Weekend Trips in Ohio
If you still haven’t made plans and are looking for an affordable Labor Day Weekend Trip in Ohio, why not treat yourself and your family to a relaxing stay in one of our Hocking Hills cabins? After spending a few days surrounded by nature, you will be refreshed and ready to tackle back-to-school season, or whatever fall may bring. Contact us today to book your perfect Labor Day weekend getaway.
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