Columbus Day 2017: What's Open, Closed? Banks, Post Offices Observe Federal Holiday

Monday is Columbus Day, an observance in honor of Christopher Columbus, the explorer credited with colonizing the New World.

President Donald Trump issued the annual U.S. proclamation for Columbus Day for this Monday. In his proclamation, Trump praised Columbus, the explorer’s native Italy, and Spain, which sponsored Columbus’ journey to the Americas.

He said, “The permanent arrival of Europeans ... was a transformative event that undeniably and fundamentally changed the course of human history and set the stage for the development of our great nation.’’

There was a different tone in former President Barack Obama's proclamation in 2016, where he said: “We must also acknowledge the pain and suffering reflected in the stories of Native Americans who had long resided on this land prior to the arrival of European newcomers.”

“The past we share is marked by too many broken promises, as well as violence, deprivation, and disease,” he wrote.

Several businesses and services will be shut down for the holiday Monday.

Transportation

If you're taking public transportation, most major cities should be running as usual.

Government offices

It's a federal holiday, which means don't expect federal or state government offices to be open. Some county offices may remain open.

Post offices

Post offices will be closed for Columbus Day 2017.

National parks

National Parks will be open on Columbus Day. They often close around Christmas and New Year's but remain open for most other holidays.

Stock market

Both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ are open on Columbus Day.

Banks

Most banks shut down for Columbus Day but a few remain open.

Alaska, Vermont, Hawaii and South Dakota do not celebrate Columbus Day. Alaska and Vermont celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, South Dakota observes Native American Day and Hawaii celebrates Discoverers' Day.

Below are some lesser-known facts about Columbus Day and Christopher Columbus:

1. Columbus set sail on Aug. 3, 1492, and saw land on Oct. 12.

2. On that trip, Columbus found what are now the Bahamas, Cuba, and Hispaniola. He left behind about 40 men to colonize the lands.

3. His ships, the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, could hold about 90 people.

4. In negotiating with Spain, Columbus requested a tenth of the spoils he found in any new land — gold and pearls included.

5. When he returned to Europe, he got the name "Almirante mayor del Mar," which translates to admiral of the ocean.

6. When the Spanish royalty discovered how he was treating the locals, it arrested Columbus and made him sail back to Europe wearing chains.

7. Columbus Day has been a national holiday since the 1930s.

8. Columbus was probably not the first European to make the journey across the Atlantic. It is believed that Norse Viking Leif Eriksson was the first to set sail across the ocean. He did this around 1,000 A.D. when he landed in Newfoundland -- about five centuries before Columbus left for the New World.

9. Columbus wanted Native Americans to be servants.

10. There are two countries that say they host Columbus' remains: Spain and the Dominican Republic.