Lake of the Ozarks Vacation Rentals: The History Behind Labor Day

Labor Day is observed on the first Monday of September each year. While the holiday is often thought of as the end of the summer season, it was created to pay tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. In today's blog, your Lake of the Ozarks vacation rental company discusses the history that led to the implementation of this federal holiday.

Labor Day History

The idea behind Labor Day was created during the labor movement in the late 19th century. During the height of the Industrial Revolution, the average American was working 12-hour days, seven days a week! Even some children as young as 5 or 6 worked in mills, factories and mines across the country. People of all ages faced extremely unsafe working conditions. They had insufficient access to fresh air, unsanitary facilities and not enough breaks. Labor unions became more prominent and more vocal. They began organizing strikes and rallies to protest these poor working conditions. Unfortunately, many of these events turned violent, such as the infamous Haymarket Riot of 1886.

The First Labor Day

The first Labor Day in U.S. history featured a parade, where, on September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City. The parade was meant to show the public the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations. The idea of a "workingmen's holiday" caught on in other industrial centers across the country, and many states passed legislation to recognize it. However, Congress did not legalize the holiday until 12 years later, in 1894. On May 11, 1894, employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago went on strike to protest wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. Then on June 26, the American Railroad Union called for a boycott of all Pullman railway cars, which hurt railroad traffic nationwide. The federal government tried to break the strike, which led to the deaths of more than a dozen workers. In attempt to repair ties with American workers, Congress passed an act making Labor Day a legal holiday.

Your Lake Vacation hopes you have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend! As you're celebrating the end of the summer with your family at your waterfront house at the Lake of the Ozarks, remember what this holiday is all about and how far American workers have come. If you're not staying with us this weekend, we hope to see you soon! It's almost time for fall golf - call 877-284-0267 to setup a fall golf getaway at the Lake of the Ozarks today.

For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!