Father’s Day is a quintessential American holiday: the day we honor dads, stepdads, granddads, and father figures who mean so much—in so many ways—to our families. On the third Sunday in June, fathers revel in their very own dedicated day and, if they’re lucky, are showered by their kids and family members with love, appreciation, attention, and gifts.
It’s also when we extol the importance of fatherhood.
But did you know that this special day has been celebrated even before it became a national holiday? It’s a 113-year-old story.
Father’s Day as we know it today originated in Spokane, Washington. The idea was initiated by a devoted daughter of a Civil War-era widowed father. Her name was Sonora Smart Dodd….