Collection Presidential Inaugurations
In April 1789, George Washington took the oath of office in New York City. Constitutional guidelines for inaugurations are sparse, offering...
Presidential Inaugurations: A Court of Honor
Gallery
-
1 of 5
Woodrow Wilson’s reviewing stand in 1913 was inspired by his boyhood home in Staunton, Virginia.
Library of Congress -
2 of 5
The Washington press mocked the small reviewing stand of President Calvin Coolidge and the brief one-hour parade in 1925.
Office of the Curator, The White House -
3 of 5
In 1929, Herbert Hoover’s striped reviewing stand gave the occasion a festive feeling.
Library of Congress -
4 of 5
A peanut-shaped float passes by the reviewing stand for the inauguration parade of President Jimmy Carter on January 20, 1977, in Washington D.C.
Library of Congress -
5 of 5
Presidential reviewing stand at the Inaugural Parade for President George H.W. Bush on January 20, 1989, in Washington, D.C.
Library of Congress
About this Gallery
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.
You Might Also Like
-
-
Presidential Inaugurations
On April 30, 1789, George Washington took the oath of office in New York City. Later he said of this new presidential...
-
Collection Eleanor Roosevelt's "My Day"
The White House Historical Association and the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project present this collaboration in an effort to open a...
-
Presidential Inaugurations: A Court of Honor
A reviewing stand is usually constructed for the use of the president during the inaugural parade, the necessity arising as...
-
Presidential Inaugurations: Celebrate New Times
Thomas Jefferson’s 1801 inaugural, the first held in the city of Washington, bore little resemblance to modern extravaganzas. Avoiding monarchical to...
-
Presidential Inaugurations: Symbolic Gestures
Inaugural ceremonies are huge public events, and both presidents and inaugural planners have recognized their potential for symbolic gestures. James...
-
Presidential Inaugurations: The Inaugural Address
George Washington delivered the first inaugural address, invoking God’s guidance, demurring about his qualifications for presidential tasks, and declaring hi...
-
Presidential Inaugurations: Traditions & Transitions
The peaceful transfer of presidential power from one administration to the next is a hallmark of American democracy. This transition,...
-
Presidential Inaugurations: I Do Solemnly Swear
Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution specifies the oath the president takes in assuming the responsibilities of this highest executive...
-
Inaugural Balls
Three key features characterize nearly every presidential inauguration: the oath of office taken by the president at the Capitol, the...
-
Abraham Lincoln's White House
On a hot summer day in August 1864, Abraham Lincoln strolled from his Second-Floor office to the lawn outside the Executive...
-
Afternoon Accolades
Since the second inauguration of Ulysses S. Grant in 1873, inaugural reviewing stands— temporary pavilions built in front of the White Ho...
