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2013 Presidential Inauguration Prep – cc GLYN LOWE PHOTOWORKS – PHOTO YOURSPACE
As we have discussed in previous columns, the President-elect will take the oath of office on January 20, 2025, on the west front of the U.S. Capitol. For that, a 10,000 square foot platform will be constructed (as it is every four years) on the west front. It will hold 1,600 people including the President-elect, the Vice President-elect and their families, the justices of the Supreme Court, former presidents, Members of Congress, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other important guests. There are additional bleachers built on the upper terraces which can hold an additional 1,000 people – often used for choirs and other performing groups.
Why here? Why not inside the Capitol? Why not on the East Front? The first inauguration held in the District of Columbia was that of Thomas Jefferson. It was held in the old Senate wing of the Capitol as that was the only part of the Capitol finished at that point. Afterward, Jefferson walked back to his boarding house where he received well wishes from various citizens and dignitaries.
Inaugural ceremonies continued to be inside the US Capitol until the inauguration of Andrew Jackson in 1829. Andrew Jackson moved the inaugural ceremonies outside to the east front of the Capitol. Why? Well, in 1824 Jackson had run for the presidency and no one had a clear majority. The House of Representatives was given (according to the laws at that time) the responsibility of selecting the next president from the top three candidates. They did NOT choose Jackson. Four years later, when Jackson was finally inaugurated, he chose to not hold it in the House chamber. He was no fan of the House of Representatives!
In 1981, the inauguration of Ronald Reagan was moved to the west front of the Capitol, where most have been held ever since. There were a few through the years held either inside the Capitol or other places (eg. Roosevelt’s fourth inauguration was held at the White House, and in 1985, a snowstorm forced Reagan’s second inauguration inside the Capitol Rotunda). The move to the east front was prompted by the need to lower construction costs and to provide a larger area for the public and guests to witness the ceremony (i.e. the National Mall itself). It was NOT, as I heard one docent suggest, because Reagan said he wanted to face west toward California as he took the oath.
