Patriots' Day, commemorating start of the Revolutionary War, could soon be celebrated in Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — Patriots' Day, a holiday which commemorates the start of the Revolutionary War, could soon be recognized in Utah thanks a new resolution introduced in the House.

HCR7 would officially proclaim April 19 as Patriots' Day in a Utah, a holiday which is already celebrated in a few states across the country. It wouldn't be an official state holiday, but the resolution would cause the day to be recognized and commemorated every year.

Because it wouldn't be an official state holiday, it wouldn't cause anyone to have work off on that day.

The resolution's sponsor, Rep. Walt Brooks, R-St. George, said he was approached by two different groups that wanted to have the state recognize and commemorate the significant day that started the Revolutionary War.

"This is a significant event that happened in the United States that actually kinda changed the direction where we're at," Brooks said. "And I'm a big believer, if you know the history, you can prevent the bad things from happening again."

The resolution specifically recognizes the events that occurred on April 18 and 19, 1775, which officially started the war.

"We should be recognizing it," Brooks said. "We should help kids understand how we got to this point. Why do we have these freedoms? What are the sacrifices people went through? And so we're remembering these dates."

Brooks also added that this year is the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War, making this a great time to start Utah's recognition of Patriot's Day.

What happened on April 19

April 19 recognizes the start of the Revolutionary War, specifically the battles of Lexington and Concord, which happened on April 19, 1775. The holiday recognizes those two battles as well as what is known as the "shot heard 'round the world."

It was on April 18, 1775, that William Dawes and Paul Revere were informed that British soldiers were on their way to Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. The two men then spread the word, allowing the militias to gather in preparation for the coming battles.

Patriots' Day in Utah would also recognized the minutemen and militia members who fought in those first battles of the war. These men were the first American soldiers to fight for the county's freedom, and since then millions have continued to fight for the country.

What other states celebrate Patriots' Day?

There six are states that already celebrate Patriots' day in a variety of different ways, but in those states it is celebrated on the third Monday in April, per USA Today.

The holiday was first celebrated in Massachusetts in 1894, and Maine adopted it in 1907. It wasn't until 2001 that Wisconsin became the third state to adopt the holiday followed by Connecticut, Florida and North Dakota.

It was originally celebrated by Massachusetts and Maine on April 19, but in 1969, it was moved to the third Monday in April, per USA Today.

In Wisconsin, it is just a school holiday, and Florida recognizes Patriot's Day, but it is not an official state holiday.

The holiday is typically celebrated with historical battle reenactments, parades and other events, per USA Today.

The most well-known celebration of the holiday is the Boston Marathon, which has been held on Patriots' Day every year since 1897. The Boston Red Rox have also played a home game on the holiday every year since 1959.

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