Your Unimpeachable Guide to Washington’s /Lincoln’s Birthday Weekend

What’s open and what’s closed for Lincoln’s Birthday on Feb. 12 and Washington’s Birthday on Feb. 15 is a bit complicated, but we’ll lay it out for you.

Connecticut state government (but not all state governments, and not the federal government) closes on Lincoln’s Birthday. Darien town government does not.

The federal government and just about every government (including Connecticut’s) celebrates Washington’s Birthday. His federal holiday is only informally known as “Presidents Day” — that’s not what the federal government calls it, and the feds don’t celebrate all presidents on that day.

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A verbose aside:

Both of these presidents, by the way, passed through town. Lincoln didn’t set foot in Darien, however — he was on the train back and forth to other places in Connecticut during the 1860 presidential election.

Washington passed through town several times, including one visit (at least we thought) with the entire Continental Army on his way from Boston to New York (although the illustration listing his trips doesn’t show it). There’s a monument to him on Old Kings Highway South that lists his trips through town.

We’re pretty sure that after some point, every U.S. president (at some point in his life) passed through Darien, either by train on the New Haven Line or, later, on Interstate 95. Bill Clinton is the last president we’re aware of who stopped in Darien — to sign books a few years ago at Barrett Bookstore.

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THURSDAY, Feb 11

“Holiday Closing: DMV [Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles] offices will close this Thursday (Feb. 11) at 3:15 p.m. and remain closed this Friday (Feb. 12) and Saturday (Feb. 13) for the President Lincoln and Washington holidays.” They reopen on Tuesday.

FRIDAY, Feb 12 — Lincoln’s Birthday

CLOSED:

• Connecticut state government offices, including the Department of Motor Vehicles
• Banks may remain open in Connecticut, but they have to notify customers. Here’s the policy in state law, as described by this Web page on the state Department of Banking website : Connecticut banks and credit unions are required to give at least two weeks’ advance notice to their customers of holiday openings and closings by posting such notice in the lobby of each office.

OPEN:

• Just about everything else, including Darien Public Schools, Darien town government, post offices, you name it

SATURDAY, Feb. 13

OPEN: Darien Transfer Station/Darien Recycling Center/”Town Dump”

CLOSED:

• Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles offices
• Person-to-Person offices

MONDAY, Feb. 15 — Washington’s Birthday

OPEN:

• Darien Transfer Station/Darien Recycling Center/”Town Dump”
• Darien Library

HOLIDAY TIMES: Infinity Fitness schedule: 7 a.m./ 8:30 a.m./ 9:30 a.m./ 10:30 a.m./ 1 p.m.

CLOSED

• Darien Public Schools are closed this day and for the entire week — February Recess
• Darien town government
• Connecticut state government (it’s a long weekend for state employees)
• Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles offices are normally closed on Monday and will be on this day.
• U.S. government
• Post Offices
• Most banks (but TD Bank will be open)
• Person-to-Person offices

Transportation

• Metro-North will operate on a Saturday schedule “with some extra cars on trains AM inbound and PM outbound hours to accommodate those people who have to work. […] The north end exits to Grand Central at 46th-47th-48th Streets will be closed. Off-peak fares are in effect all day.”
• CTTransit Commuter Connection buses in Stamford will operate on a reduced service schedule. “Reduced service schedules are published in the Commuter Connection timetables and online.”
• Norwalk Transit District buses operate on a normal schedule.

Editor’s note: This article was first published on Wednesday, Feb. 10. The time stamp has been changed for layout purposes on the Home page.