Costa Mesa Celebrates Labor Day, But Who Invented It?
For Costa Mesa neighbors who are curious about how Labor Day got started, most of the readily available references seem to be confused just a little. They have introductory lines like “There’s disagreement how the holiday began” (nationaltoday.com), or “More than a century after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt…”(U.S. Department of Labor).
Both the followers of Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters Union leader, and the advocates of Matthew Maguire, a machinist and union heavyweight make a claim. “One or the other first proposed the idea” is the way The Farmers Almanac answers the question. The Labor Dept. is equally unsure and it's official history is titled, “Who Actually Invented Labor Day?”
What isn’t in doubt is the underlying meaning of Labor Day across the nation—Costa Mesa’s Labor Day included. Small children may still find the idea perplexing (as in, “How come nobody in Costa Mesa works on Labor Day?”); yet the root idea is to honor everyone who works for a living.
It was made a national holiday in 1894, probably because workers’ movements were gaining popular support and Congress wanted to join the parade. Regardless of whether it was Maguire’s or McGuire’s doing, it was a stroke of genius to place it at a point in the year midway between July 4 and Thanksgiving—just when people would be pining for an extra day off.
Today’s Costa Mesa Labor Day observances may put less emphasis on workers’ movement history and more on end-of-summer family celebrations, but as we bid farewell to 2019’s summertime and say hello to back-to-school, football, and the like, it doesn’t hurt to pause a moment to consider all the hard work that goes into the workings that keep our community humming. Certainly Costa Mesa real estate depends on it.
Happy Labor Day, Costa Mesa—and don’t forget to give us a call whenever our professional elbow grease is called for in your real estate dealings!
We are built on a philosophy of Heritage & Hustle. The L3 is a full service real estate agency with a regional office located in the heart of #CostaMesa, offering a wide-array of custom services to meet their clients’ needs with roots in the community since 1976. It’s L3 mission is to provide trusted, convenient, responsive service to ensure clients enjoy their real estate experience. The L3 was originally formed to offer personal, concierge-level service as an alternative to the large, nationally based real estate companies. From its small beginnings of only two employees, The L3 has grown to a full staff of 25 serving over 300 clients a year. The L3 is not limited to serving just its clients; it is also committed to serving the community. Not only has The L3 donated hundreds of hours to many area charities, they have also received the prestige of being named one of the #toprealestatecompaniesinCostaMesa If you’re interested in #buyingorsellinginOrangeCounty, turn to the experts. Turn to The L3 and let them help you make your real estate buying or selling dreams come true. For more information or to get started on finding or selling your home contact The L3 today at 714-444-4663 or email us at info@thel3.com
