BOSTON (WWLP) – You may have been searching for a business on Google Friday and saw the words “Evacuation Day may affect these hours,” but what is the holiday?

Evacuation Day is mostly observed in Suffolk County, which includes Boston. The holiday commemorates the evacuation of the British forces from Boston in 1776 during the “Siege of Boston” in the American Revolutionary War. This was George Washington’s first victory in the war and became a huge morale boost for the colonies.

Schools and businesses in Boston and the surrounding communities are typically closed every year on March 17. As for western Massachusetts, many businesses will not be affected by this holiday.

Coincidently, it lands on the same day as St. Patrick’s Day.