12 Things You Probably Don't Know About Father's Day



















On Sunday, June 16, Dads across the United States are going to be showered with neckties, toolsets, and gift cards as we celebrate Father’s Day. Though it’s something we can count on celebrating every third Sunday in June, the holiday didn't always have the public support it deserved—for decades it looked like a day dedicated to the influential and hard-working fathers in our lives would toil in relative obscurity. Check out the tragic origins and eventual nationwide acceptance of this beloved holiday as we look at 12 things you probably didn't know about Father’s Day.

1. THE FIRST MODERN FATHER'S DAY WAS ROOTED IN TRAGEDY.

On July 5, 1908—the same year that Mother's Day is credited as beginning—a small church in West Virginia held the first public event meant to specifically honor the fathers of their community. The day was held in remembrance of the 362 men who were killed the previous December in a mining explosion at the Fairmont Coal Company. Though this specific day did not transform into an annual tradition in the town, it did set a precedent of reserving a day for dads everywhere.