Columbus Day has fallen on hard times in recent years as a result of congressional legislation in 1968 making it part of the Monday holiday scheme, meaning that it could fall, as it does this year, on a date removed from actual history. Then some entities in the nation don't observe the day, noting that Christopher Columbus was associated with exploiting Native Americans, introducing diseases to the continent, enslaving peoples and even bringing addictive, harmful tobacco to the world.

But Columbus' faults aren't a new story. Indeed, researchers have long known of his negative side, just as they have been aware of the flaws of other notables such as George Washington, who received mixed reviews about his treatment of his slaves when he died in the midst of partisan strife in 1799. Still, like it or not, Americans named numerous towns, cities, counties and districts after Columbus and GW.