Evacuation Day

Evacuation Day, a Suffolk County holiday that commemorates the evacuation of British troops from Boston during the Revolutionary War. The House and Senate have no formal sessions planned. There are no public hearings scheduled at the Statehouse. And Gov. Deval Patrick is planning to head to Vermont to co-host a White House forum on health care reform.

The holiday has long been fodder for critics. Occasional efforts to eliminate it have failed. Share your thoughts below and vote in our web poll on the homepage. You can also call 617-746-8300 and voice your thoughts about the holiday. March 17 is, of course, an unofficial holiday for millions of Americans. Except in Boston, that is, where March 17 an official holiday. For out-of-towners, I kid you not.

So wait, the city takes off to celebrate St. Patrick? Well, not exactly. It just so happens that March 17 marks Evacuation Day--the date in 1776 when the British troops gave up Boston and set sail for Nova Scotia after George Washington's men seized the high ground of Dorchester Heights (in present-day South Boston). No doubt, though, that many who emigrated from the Old Sod had no problem with this trinity that would make St. Patrick's Irish eyes smile: a day off, a chance to have a few pints of Guinness, and the celebration of giving the British the boot.