Most Presidential inaugurations have happened in DC, you’ll have to leave the District if you want to catch ’em all.
Welcome to the third installment of my four-post series on Presidential inauguration locations! Here’s the run down of what’s covered in each post:
Part One: Inaugurations at the US Capitol
Part Two: Inaugurations elsewhere in Washington, DC
Part Three: Inaugurations outside of Washington, DC
Part Four: Bonus Inaugurations
Obviously, our nation’s capital is the obvious place for an inauguration, so why would any take place outside of Washington, DC? The first three inaugurations took place in New York and Philadelphia, which were serving as the capital cities at the time, before the government set up shop in DC. Once Washington was up and running, inaugurations have only taken place elsewhere in cases where the new President is taking office due to the previous President dying in the middle of his term.
Federal Hall, New York City, New York
Inauguration Count: 1
Year: 1789
George Washington’s first inauguration took place in the Big Apple. Federal Hall, the first Capitol of the US, was located on Wall Street, right across from where the New York Stock Exchange stands today. Washington’s inauguration took place on the balcony.
Visiting: Today, you can still visit Federal Hall…sort of. The original building was demolished in 1812. The current structure opened in 1842, and served as a customs house and a federal sub-treasury before becoming the Federal Hall National Historic Site in 1939. Today, visitors can stop by this NPS-administered site to learn about the first inauguration and the other history that occurred in that spot. Part of the original balcony where Washington was inaugurated is even on display (see the image at the top of the post). I visited in March of 2018.
Congress Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Inauguration Count: 2
Years: 1793, 1797
After its early days in New York, the US Government relocated back to Philadelphia, one of its previous locations, but only temporarily. By this time Washington had been selected as the new capital city, but needed time to be built up. During this period, two inaugurations took place in Congress Hall. George Washington in the Senate chamber in 1793, and John Adams in the House chamber in 1797.
Visiting: The original Congress Hall is still standing and has been restored to look like it did back in the 1790s. It’s part of Independence National Historic Park, and tours are offered daily. While I have been to this NPS site, I have not yet taken the Congress Hall tour (but I did get my pic with the Liberty Bell).
Chester A. Arthur Home, New York, New York
Inauguration Count: 1
Year: 1881 (September)
After taking office in March of 1881, President Garfield was shot in July, and ultimately passed away on September 19. The next day, his Vice President, Chester A. Arthur, took the oath of office in his home in Manhattan. This was the home that Arthur lived in for most of his adult life, both before and after his Presidency, and where he himself died in November of 1886.
Visiting: The building still stands, but is privately owned and does not function as a presidential tourism site. There is a well-established specialty grocery store at street level, and apartments upstairs. The building does have bronze plaque on display that notes the inaugural history of the home. I’ve not yet intentionally visited the site, although it’s possible I’ve walked by without realizing what it was.
Ansley Wilcox House, Buffalo, New York
Inauguration Count: 1
Year: 1901 (September)
When President McKinley was shot in Buffalo on September 6, 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt rushed to town, where he stayed with a friend, prominent lawyer Ansley Wilcox. When it appeared that McKinley was going to be OK, Roosevelt left for a planned camping trip with his family. This was cut short when Roosevelt received word that McKinley had taken a turn for the worse and was on his deathbed. Before he could make it back, McKinley had died. Upon arriving in Buffalo, Roosevelt returned to the Wilcox residence, where he took the oath of office later that day.
Visiting: The site is now operated by the National Parks Service as the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site and runs tours seven days a week. As I type this, I have not yet been to the site, but I will be in Buffalo in a few months and this site is definitely on my itinerary.
Coolidge Homestead, Plymouth Notch, Vermont
Inauguration Count: 1
Year: 1923
Vice President Calving Coolidge was staying at his family home in Vermont when he received word in the middle of the night that President Harding had passed away in San Francisco. At 2:37 AM on August 3, 1923, Coolidge took the Oath of Office in the family parlour. The Oath was administered by Coolidge’s father, a notary.
Visiting: The home is part of the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, which is actually one of my favorite Presidential history sites. See my full post on this site for more information. I visited in July of 2017.
Air Force One, Love Field, Dallas, Texas
Inauguration Count: 1
Year: 1963
In one of the more iconic inaugurations, LBJ took the oath of office on November 22, 1963 following JFK’s assassination, with Jackie Kennedy at his side. This took place aboard Air Force One, while still on the ground at Love Field in Dallas.
Visiting: Love Field is still an active airport, so you can definitely go there, but you might not see too much. There was actually no marker at all until 2015, when a plaque was embedded in the tarmac where Air Force One was parked that day, alongside a light that could be seen from the terminal through a bay window. However, the light was turned off shortly afterwards and off-and-on plans to complete an indoor exhibit have been plagued with issues and delays. Currently, I’m not sure if there is anything you can see from inside the airport other than an image of Air Force One etched in the glass of the bay window. At least it’s before security so at least you don’t need to be a ticketed passenger.
The actual plane that served as Air Force One at the time, the SAM-26000, is much more accessible. It’s on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, and has been fully restored. You can even climb on board and tour the inside. I have not yet visited either the airport or the plane.