10 fun facts about past presidential inaugurations

Shannan Younger — Wed, 18 Jan 2017 09:00:20 +0000

Friday will be the 58^thPresidential inauguration our nation’s history. As Ronald Reagan said in his inaugural address in 1981, “To a few of us here today, this is a solemn and most momentous occasion; and yet, in the history of our Nation, it is a commonplace occurrence.” Here are some fun facts about past presidential inaugurations.

George Washington gave the shortest inaugural address.

At his second inauguration, Washington’s address was a remarkably brief 136 words. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fourth and final inauguration speech ran for only 558 words — the second shortest so far.

William Henry Harrison gave the longest inauguration speech. It lasted one hour, 40 minutes.

William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison decided to brave the elements and deliver the longest inauguration speech ever. His 8,445-word speech lasted a very long time, especially considering the cold, blustery weather. Harrison did not cut his speech short, nor did he wear a hat or overcoat. Right after the inauguration, he came down with a cold that developed into pneumonia. One month later, Harrison died.

Harry S. Truman’s 1949 Inaugural was the first presidential inaugural to be televised.

The first president to have a poem read as part of the inauguration was John F. Kennedy in 1961.

Robert Frost was the first poet to compose and read a poem at the ceremony. Frost had written “Dedication” specifically for the inauguration. When he was to read it, however, he was blinded by the sun. He did not have that poem memorized so instead he recited “The Gift Outright,” which he knew by heart.

Thomas Jefferson was the first president to take the oath of office in Washington, D.C.

George Washington’s first inauguration was held in New York City, and his second was in Philadelphia, PA, as was John Adams’s inauguration.

Inauguration Day has not always been in January.

FDR’s 4th inauguration

Prior to the enactment of the 20th Amendment, Inauguration Day was held March 4, the day of the year on which the first Congress convened after the Constitution took effect in 1789. The last inauguration to take place on March 4 was Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first one in 1933. He was also the first president to take office on Jan. 20.

The only woman to administer the Oath of Office was U.S. District Judge Sarah Hughes, who swore in Lyndon Johnson on Air Force One following President Kennedy’s assassination.

The Constitution doesn’t identify who administers the oath to the incoming President. Traditionally, it is done by the chief justice of the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Marshall administered the oath nine times, more than anyone else.

Which first couple was the first to attend an inaugural ball?

Dolley Madison

James and Dolley Madison attended the first inaugural ball held on the same day as the inauguration. Tickets were $4 each for the event, held at Long’s Hotel on March 4, 1809.

Since 1901, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has been responsible for the planning and execution of the swearing-in ceremonies and the luncheon for the Inauguration of the President of the United States at the U.S. Capitol.

This inauguration may be the warmest on record. William H. Taft’s inauguration was the snowiest.

In 1909, William H. Taft was sworn into office on a day nearly 10 inches of snow fell, a record for Inauguration Day. The Weather Channel says, “It took 6,000 men and 500 wagons to clear 58,000 tons of snow and slush from the parade route.”

If you want to learn more about prior inaugurations, check out this amazing Library of Congress Resource Guide, which includes “letters written by presidents and those who witnessed the inaugurations, handwritten drafts of inaugural addresses, broadsides, inaugural tickets and programs, prints, photographs, and sheet music.”

Sources: Stars & Stripes, The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies

Prior Post: Lin-Manuel Miranda reads Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Beyond Vietnam”

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