11/27/2025
Grateful for Family, friends, customers and this little piece of heaven in which to steward and nurture for beauty, food and community.
Do you know the true origins of Thanksgiving? Washington's 1789 proclamation.
October 3, 1789.
The Constitution is barely ratified. Congress asks the President to declare a national day of thanks.
Washington doesn't suggest it. He commands it.
"It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for His benefits."
He called Americans to "sincere and humble thanks" for winning the Revolution. For the Constitution. For religious liberty.
Then he told them to pray.
To "beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions."
The Father of our Country. Publicly confessing national sin. Calling a nation to its knees.
The Pilgrims weren't even mentioned. That story came later.
Here is the full proclamation.
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God,
*to obey his will,
*to be grateful for his benefits,
and humbly to implore his protection and favor;
and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me
“to recommend to the People of the United States
a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God,*
*especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next
to be devoted by the People of these States
to the service of that great and glorious Being,
who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be;
That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks
*for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation;*
for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence
in the course and conclusion of the late war;
for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty,
which we have since enjoyed;
for the peaceable and rational manner,
in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness,
and particularly the national One now lately instituted;
*for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed;*
and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;
and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications
*to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations*
and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions;
to enable us all, whether in public or private stations,
to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually;
*to render our national government a blessing to all the People,
by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws,
discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed;
to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us),
and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord;
*to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue,*
and the increase of science among them and Us;
and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity
as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
— George Washington
