Casimir Pulaski anyone?

[boiker]

Ok, Illinois has a state Holiday, today, in honor of this guy. Probably due to the high concentration of polak's (like myself) in this state. Do any other states in the union recognize him with a holiday?

BTW, schools are out, state offices are close, but I'm still at work :-{

 

[Maister]

The State of Michigan does not, however the Polish community in Grand Rapids always used to to celebrate (at least back in the late 70's)

 

[DecaturHawk]

Well, we're at work here downstate, too, and the local school district is also holding classes today. There was an article in the local paper about how most school districts here in Central IL have abandoned poor Casimir. Even the school district in the bucolic town of Mt. Pulaski, named after the Polish hero, holds classes today. Of course, the state government slackers in Springfield have yet another day off, fresh off Lincoln's Birthday and President's Day, barely over a week ago.

 

[Dan]

A big deal is made of Pulaski Day in Buffalo, but it's not a civil holiday. The real big Polish holiday there, however, is Dyngus Day, celebrated the Monday after Easter.

There was a time when Buffalo city workers had a floating ethnic holiday that they could use for either Dyngus Day, St. Patrick's Day or St. Joseph's Day.

 

[JNA]

Sorry, :-$ I though you were talking about a
Pulaski
Named after Edward Pulaski, the Forest Service District Ranger who invented it after fighting the great fires of 1910, the Pulaski is a chopping and trenching tool that combines an axe blade with a narrow, adze-like blade.

Wildland Firefighter training; but never got my Red Card

 

[Planderella]

WHO?

According to my daily calendar, today is St. David's Day in the UK and Labour Day in Australia - WA and Eight Hours Day in Australia - TAS.

Labour Day seems self-explanatory and maybe Eight Hours refers to the length of a typical work day but an explanation would be nice. Rem? Bueller? Bueller?

 

[jordanb]

The state (ie: me) isn't off, but the County and City are.

Lazy ass City and County workers.

 

[Rem]

WHO?
According to my daily calendar, today is St. David's Day in the UK and Labour Day in Australia - WA and Eight Hours Day in Australia - TAS.
Labour Day seems self-explanatory and maybe Eight Hours refers to the length of a typical work day but an explanation would be nice. Rem? Bueller? Bueller?

What is this Bueller of which you speak?

Labour Day and the 8 Hour day is an interchangeable term referring to a public holiday (one is held in each state - NSW is the first Monday in October each year for example) held in all Australian States. It specifically recognises the successful campaign for a 40 hour working week (eight hour day) based on a famous "eight hours work, eight hours recreation, eight hours sleep" slogan. It is also more generally used to recognise the contribution of trade unions to Australia. I understand May Day, which is also recognised in Australia but not with a public holiday, is a comparable insitution in the US.

The day is mainly just another day off for most people now, with some uneven attempts by Trade Unions to stage celebrations.

I Googled a couple of sites with potted histories - though I think neither has much rigour.
http://www.girl.com.au/cr-labourday.htm
http://www.afule.org.au/laborday.htm

 

[B'lieve]

We actually don't celebrate May Day here, although we do have Labor Day on the first Monday in September.

Here in Maryland, I've never heard of anybody celebrating Pulaski day, but we do have a major highway named after him (Route 40 from the state border with Delaware to the Baltimore City line.) You used to be able to see one of the last of the Muffler Men along Rte 40 in Havre de Grace, but I haven't seen it lately. When I was little it stood up on the shop's roof and had a cowboy hat, but the hat disappeared and the statue was moved down to the ground, why I don't know.

 

[michaelskis]

When I was growing up, we would get deer day (aka first day of deer hunting season) off from school.

does that count?

 

[JNA]

In New Jersey there is the Pulaski Skyway or US 1/9.

http://www.nycroads.com/crossings/pulaski/

 

[jordanb]

What is this Bueller of which you speak?

That's an allusion to Ferris Bueller's Day Off, one of the best comedies of the 80s.

Ben Stein's character says that during roll call after Bueller skips class... You kind of have to see it to get the allusion.

 

[Chet]

When I was growing up, we would get deer day (aka first day of deer hunting season) off from school.

does that count?

OMG working in a business and state heavy in red necked mulleted contractors I love to work that day - its sooo quiet and there were no Nextels bleeping at the counter.

 

[mendelman]

When I was growing up, we would get deer day (aka first day of deer hunting season) off from school...

Same for me. I didn't hunt, so it was a nice free day in early November.

 

[Maister]

WHO?

Kasimir Pulaski was a Polish nobleman and soldier who escaped a death sentence in Poland and ended up volunteering to join the American Revolution. Is known as the "father of American cavalry" as he established the first regular cavalry force fighting alongside Washington. He fought in dozens of engagements and had a reputation for fearlessness. Ended up getting mortally wounded in battle in 1779.
He and Thaddeus Kasciusko are two Poles featured prominently in American Revolutionary war history. Which is as good a reason as I know of for everyone to eat lots of kielbasa, polka, and drink huge quantities of beer.....

 

[Downtown]

WHO?

He and Thaddeus Kasciusko are two Poles featured prominently in American Revolutionary war history. Which is as good a reason as I know of for everyone to eat lots of kielbasa, polka, and drink huge quantities of beer.....

OMG!!! I'd been wondering who Thaddeus Kasciusko is and why the bridge on I-87 over the Mohawk River is named for him!!! Thank you!

 

[Rem]

That's an allusion to Ferris Bueller's Day Off, one of the best comedies of the 80s.

Thanks JordanB I know that movie - just didn't make the connection. I assumed there was another Australian (named Bueller) lurking out here, being consulted on Australia.

 

[steel]

The Polish government gave the US a large statue of Casmir as a Bicentenial gift in 1976. The massive bronze is quite nice and sits in Buffalo NY next to the Ellicott Square Building on Main Street.

 

[Whose Yur Planner]

Kasimir Pulaski was a Polish nobleman and soldier who escaped a death sentence in Poland and ended up volunteering to join the American Revolution. Is known as the "father of American cavalry" as he established the first regular cavalry force fighting alongside Washington. He fought in dozens of engagements and had a reputation for fearlessness. Ended up getting mortally wounded in battle in 1779.
He and Thaddeus Kasciusko are two Poles featured prominently in American Revolutionary war history. Which is as good a reason as I know of for everyone to eat lots of kielbasa, polka, and drink huge quantities of beer.....

Both have counties named after them in Indiana. In the same vein, we have a county named after Baron Von Stueben. I guess Indiana has a thing for foriegn born Revoluntionary War generals. As for Polish Holiday's, South Bend has Polish holiday, but I've forgotten what it is

 

[steel]

The Polish government gave the US a large statue of Casmir as a Bicentenial gift in 1976. The massive bronze is quite nice and sits in Buffalo NY next to the Ellicott Square Building on Main Street.

Here is the Buffalo monument

here is a link to other Casimir monuments
http://wings.buffalo.edu/info-poland/classroom/pulaski/monuments.html

 

[martini]

You mean there's a real Pulaski? I always though he was a tool...

I'm all for holidays that involve beer.

 

[JNA]

You mean there's a real Pulaski? I always though he was a tool...

Did you happened to read my posting # 5. ;-)

INVENTING THE PULASKI
Pages 22 - 23
Fire Management Today Vol 63-1
http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/fmt/fmt_pdfs/fmt63-1.pdf

 

[DennisMaPlanner]

No Pulaski day here in Massachusetts either. However when I worked in Boston we got Bunker Hill Day (Some time in mid-June) and Evacuation Day (the day the British evacuated Boston in the Revolution just happens to fall on St. Patty's day). The addition of those two county holidays ensured that state workers had one day off per month for every month except August, when the pols at the state house were all on vacation anyway. In addition, all of MA gets Patriot's Day off - used to signal the first day of trout fishing season when I was a lad.

Then NH still has Fast Day, which commemorates a day of fasting for the recovery of one of its colonial governor's.

 

[tsc]

There is a statue in Utica, NY..and I think they have a parade.

 

[Dan]

I don't have much new to add except this.

 

[Maister]

Well since we're talking about Polish Revolutionary War generals, who here thinks Thaddeus Kosciusko needed a better publicist? Pulaski rides around on horses for a couple years, ends up gets whacked before the war is even over and has a day named after him. Kosciusko (Taddy K.) leaves behind a lasting legacy (fortifications at West Point) and does he end up with a holiday named after him? Noooo. :-{

 

[Gedunker]

Well since we're talking about Polish Revolutionary War generals, who here thinks Thaddeus Kosciusko needed a better publicist? Pulaski rides around on horses for a couple years, ends up gets whacked before the war is even over and has a day named after him. Kosciusko (Taddy K.) leaves behind a lasting legacy (fortifications at West Point) and does he end up with a holiday named after him? Noooo. :-{

You obviously haven't spent much time in Brooklyn, NY. The Thaddeus Kosciusko Bridge is one scary mo-fo: open metal weave deck over a steep arch. The kind that sings when you drive over it. In the right weather conditions it becomes slick as snot.

Come to think of it, that's not much of a memorial and less of a reason to visit Brooklyn. :-o

 

[Maister]

The Thaddeus Kosciusko Bridge is one scary mo-fo: open metal weave deck over a steep arch. The kind that sings when you drive over it. In the right weather conditions it becomes slick as snot.

Scary bridge or beer chuggging holiday named after you? Hmmmm... I'm going to go with beer chugging day. Like I said, he needed a better publicist. I think he should have gone with Alexander Hamilton's or Ben Franklins firm. Guys never even ran for President and manage to get on a $10 and $100 bills respectively. You need to maintain that kind of high profile if you ever want to land the big book deals, you know.

 

[Maister]

Happy Pulaski Day!

Happy Pulaski Day!!!!!
How will YOU celebrate?

 

[illinoisplanner]

Ah, I remember the good ol' days of elementary school when we would get this holiday off. Unfortunately, I see many IL school districts waiving the holiday in favor of President's Day or Lincoln's Birthday.

It was cool because sometimes Casmir Pulaski Day would fall on my birthday, so sometimes I would get to stay home from school on my b-day.

And at college, since the semseters are so short in general, we don't get a whole lot of in-between holidays off...this holiday certainly no exception.

Slightly OT:
[OT]In elementary school, I actually used to get Rosh Hashannah and Yom Yippur off when I lived in my old north suburban town which had a sizable Jewish population. Anyone else live in an area with a significant Jewish populaton and get these holidays off???[/OT]

 

[DetroitPlanner]

We have a statue to him too. Yes the red thing behind him is now been done away with.

http://www.detroithistorical.org/collections/vewebsite2/exhibit3/e30068b.htm

We also have a statue to his comrade General Ted. Curiously Gen Ted is the begining of the St. Patrick's Day parade. This statue is huge, I used to wait under it for my bus home.

http://detroit1701.org/Kosciuszko Statue.html

 

[jsk1983]

Slightly OT:
[OT]In elementary school, I actually used to get Rosh Hashannah and Yom Yippur off when I lived in my old north suburban town which had a sizable Jewish population. Anyone else live in an area with a significant Jewish populaton and get these holidays off???[/OT]

The Williamsville school district in suburban Buffalo, NY. Always gave off Yom Kippur. There was a decent amount of Jews but I doubt it was more than 10%, although my section of the district tended to be more white/christian than the rest of the district.

 

[noottamevas]

I didn't realize it was only an Illinois holiday. Our kids (Mattoon) are off today, but Charleston is in session. City of Mattoon, City of Charleston, Coles County and Illinois Department of Transportation are all open. Guess its not much of a State Holiday:-|

 

[BeansandCod]

No Pulaski day here in Massachusetts either. However when I worked in Boston we got Bunker Hill Day (Some time in mid-June) and Evacuation Day (the day the British evacuated Boston in the Revolution just happens to fall on St. Patty's day). The addition of those two county holidays ensured that state workers had one day off per month for every month except August, when the pols at the state house were all on vacation anyway. In addition, all of MA gets Patriot's Day off - used to signal the first day of trout fishing season when I was a lad.

Then NH still has Fast Day, which commemorates a day of fasting for the recovery of one of its colonial governor's.

Maybe no Pulaski Day, but there is a small bust which perches over I-93 South (Southeast Expressway) in the Andrew Square area - right near the Polish American Citizen's Club on the Dorchester/Southie line. I think there might even be sign that calls that section of the Expressway the Pulaski Skyway. Anyway, that section of town is the tiny Polish/Lithuanian part of Boston.

Maine also has Patriots Day, as it was originally chartered as part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Suffolk County is the only county in MA which gets Evacuation Day (March 17th) and Bunker Hill Day (third Friday in June, usually around June 17th). Can you say, Hack Holiday?????

 

[JNA]

BUMP -

Here is an important recognition & honor for him -

Gen. Casimir Pulaski finally became an American citizen, 230 years after he died fighting in the Revolutionary War.

President Obama signed a joint resolution of the House and the Senate on Friday that made Pulaski, a Polish nobleman, an honorary citizen.

In 1929, Congress declared Oct. 11 Pulaski Day in the United States, a largely forgotten holiday in much of the country.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/us/08citizen.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper