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Reagan's Second Inauguration

Copyright © January 20, 2011 White House Historical Association. All rights reserved under international copyright conventions. No part of this article may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Requests for reprint permissions should be addressed to books@whha.org

Because the beginning of President Reagan’s and Vice President George H.W. Bush’s second terms, January 20, 1985, fell on a Sunday, President Reagan and Vice President Bush were sworn in for their new terms at the foot of the Grand Staircase in the Entrance Hall of the White House. The following day, intense cold caused the previously scheduled public inaugural ceremony to be moved from the West Front of the U.S. Capitol indoors to the Capitol Rotunda, while the inaugural parade was canceled. (William Howard Taft’s inaugural 76 years before had also taken place in the Capitol because of harsh weather.)

Enjoy the flickr slideshow "Inauguration, 1985."

This was originally published on January 20, 2011

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