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A
Court of Honor
A reviewing stand is usually constructed for the
use of the president during the inaugural parade,
the necessity arising as inaugural parades got
longer sometimes lasting for more than
five hours. The design of these stands has varied
greatly over time, with some being little more
than platforms, while others were ornate two-story
edifices. In the past, additional grandstands
were constructed on either side of Pennsylvania
Avenue for other paying spectators. Decorated
areas usually the White House, reviewing
grandstands, nearby buildings came to be
known as the Court of Honor. Images of stands
reveal them to be fanciful, flamboyant constructions,
bedecked with flags, swaddled in bunting, and
decorated with flowers. Presidents sometimes had
ideas about how the reviewing stands should look.
For his 1905 version, Theodore Roosevelt borrowed
a collection of statues of notable Americans that
had been exhibited at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase
Exposition. Woodrow Wilsons 1913 stand was
modeled after his boyhood home in Staunton, Virginia.
Today the reviewing stands are equipped with bulletproof
glass, heaters, seats, and refreshments. Indeed,
the presidents family and friends and invited
dignitaries can watch the longest parade in a
comfortable atmosphere.
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