Washington’s Birthday Sale Ads – 1960

It’s Presidents’ Day – a federal holiday honoring all of our presidents, especially George Washington, whose birthday was the original focus of the date.

But back in 1960, Washington’s Birthday was simply celebrated without the ‘Presidents’ Day’ naming confusion. Thus, it was ripe (as it is now) to be used as a sales theme.

The funny thing is, almost all of the sales adopted the same theme: that George Washington cut down a cherry tree with a hatchet when he was just a kid.

Did Washington really cut down a cherry tree and then refuse to lie about his dirty deed? Read all about it here on the National Park Service website and decide for yourself. It seems like it’s possible to me.

But in the meantime, let’s celebrate the Father of Our Country’s birthday with this comical collection of ad headings culled from the pages of the Lorain Journal back in February 1960.

The Downtown Merchants Association promoted its sale with this large ad. Note how Ol’ George seems to be without his wooden teeth.

The same illustration of Washington was used in its entirety in this illustration used in an ad for Harry’s Mens Wear. 

Kline’s ignores the cherry tree myth entirely with its use of George beating the drum for the sale based on his natal day. He’s not showing any teeth, though.

An umbrella header for the Journal’s automotive ads shows a mildly demented-looking adult Washington sharpening his axe.

At least the ad for Stillman-Deutsch Furniture - Appliance depicted a youthful George, hatchet in hand, right at the point of yelling, “Timber!”

Perhaps the most interesting sales ad was for Reidy-Scanlan Co. The store advertised that George Washington himself would be at the store to help with the store’s annual Early American furniture sale. (The ad points out that the costumed character would be played by Chester Hanzel, the factory representative for “Light House Lamps.”)

And in case you think you’re experiencing a “Groundhog Day” bout of déja vu, I did similar posts back here (with 1957 ads) in 2013, as well as here in 2018 (with 1958 ads). 

I also noted how Porky Pig’s Birthday pushed Washington’s Birthday out of the limelight in 1957 back here.