25 Interesting Facts about Inaugurations

1.This inauguration in which Barack Obama will be sworn in as 44th president, will actually be the 55th ceremony in this country’s history and the 19th inauguration since the inauguration day was switched from March 4th to January 20th.
2.The greatest weather impact was on the inauguration ceremony for William Harrison. In the cold and blustery day, William Harrison without coat or hat, gave an oration that lasted 40 minutes. During this, he caught a cold turned pneumonia and died a month later.
3.The warmest inauguration was in 1981 when Ronald Reagan became president. It was mostly cloudy, 55 degrees.
4. The shortest inauguration speech was delivered by George Washington at his second inauguration on March 4th, 1793. The speech totaled 135 words!
5. William H. Taft was sworn into office on a day with nearly 10 inches of snow. It took 6,000 men and 500 wagons to clear 58,000 tons of snow and slush from the parade route.
6. At noon, the president-elect becomes President.
7. Thomas Jefferson was the first president to complete his inauguration with a parade. It has become tradition for the president to parade down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House.
8. The record snowfall for January 20th was 3.8 inches in 1975.
9.When Franklin Pierce was sworn in, much of the crowds dispersed due to snow and ruined the plans for the parade.
10. A typical day in D.C. in January during noon is partly clouds, around 37 degrees with wind speeds of just 10 mph.
11. F.D.R’s inauguration was the first to be held on the 20th. 200,000 visitors came but several thousand never got farther than Union Station.
12. There have been nine presidents sworn in on other days besides the 20th and 4th; eight following presidential deaths and one following Nixon’s resignation.
13. On the eve of J.F.K’s inauguration in 1961, 8 inches of snow fell, causing the most crippling traffic jam of its time. J.F.K only had 4 hours of snow that day and canceled dinner plans.
14. Based on climatology, for Inauguration Day, there is a 17% chance of precipitation.
15. On his inauguration, Ronald Regan was greeted by extreme cold and wind. This was the coldest inauguration ever.
16. There is a 5 percent chance of snow falling, historically speaking.
17. The administers of the oath are usually Chief Justices.
18. The coldest March 4th ceremony was held in 1873 for Ulysses S. Grant. It was 4 degrees.
19. During Bush’s second inauguration, there was an inch of snow on the ground with winds going 14 mph.
20. The record for January 20th is 70 degrees.
21. The average high in D.C. is 42 degrees on Inauguration Day.
22. James Madison was the first president to be sworn in outdoors.
23. Grover Cleveland was the only president to attend 2 inaugurations.
24. President James K. Polk was sworn in under an umbrella in heavy rain.
25. There is a 30% chance of rain falling from a previous snowfall