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In only a few weeks, the United States’ forty-fifth president will be sworn in on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. This tradition has persisted since 1789 when George Washington was inaugurated.
For those interested in taking a step back in time, Curbed has compiled a total of 45 photos from the Library of Congress, showcasing the national tradition. Not every president was found in the archives, so expect a few gaps in time.
Below, in the photo gallery, get a glimpse at what previous Inaugurations looked like.
- George Washington
- Andrew Jackson
- William Henry Harrison
- James K. Polk
- Zachary Taylor
- James Buchanan
- Abraham Lincoln (left) and James Buchanan (right)
- Abraham Lincoln
- Abraham Lincoln
- Abraham Lincoln
- Ulysses S. Grant
- Ulysses S. Grant
- Ulysses S. Grant
- Rutherford B. Hayes
- James A. Garfield
- James A. Garfield
- James A. Garfield
- James A. Garfield
- Grover Cleveland
- Grover Cleveland
- Benjamin Harrison
- Grover Cleveland
- William McKinley
- William McKinley
- William McKinley
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Woodrow Wilson
- Woodrow Wilson
- Warren G. Harding
- Calvin Coolidge
- Calvin Coolidge
- Herbert Hoover
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Harry S. Truman
- John F. Kennedy
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Richard Nixon
- Richard Nixon
- Ronald Reagan
- George H. W. Bush
- Bill Clinton
- Barack Obama
- Michelle Obama (left), Barack Obama (center left), George W. Bush (center right), and Laura Bush (right)
In This Stream
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