As the birth month to George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan, February exhibits the least number of days and greatest number of great presidents. This correlation of presidential preeminence and birthdate makes one wonder what William Henry Harrison (born Feb. 9) might have achieved had his presidency not ended more abruptly than John Paul I’s pontificate.

Fortunately, no speculation is needed regarding the achievements of Washington and Lincoln, the two presidents almost universally recognized as the best of the bunch. And while the government only recognizes Washington’s birthday as a federal holiday, some states have merged separate observances of Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays into a single generic Presidents Day.