Here’s a few, please share more if you know them:
—George Washington escorted John Adams to his inauguration and this became a tradition; whenever the predecessor was still alive he escorted his successor to the inauguration place (which varied over the years). It was broken by Truman and Eisenhower for the simple reason that they hated each other (though from what I’ve read Truman was at least willing, but Ike refused to walk with him and Truman didn’t feel like pressing the issue).
Calvin Coolidge was sworn in by his father, a notary public in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, immediately after both men changed from their pajamas into suits. (It was 2:40 in the morning when they got the news Harding was dead.) Later he was privately re-sworn by a D.C. judge because it was questionable whether or not the first oath of office was valid since in addition to his father only being a notary public he was an immediate family member (NPs can’t usually validate something for an immediate family member).
Jackson’s Inauguration turned into a fustercluck when he stupidly said “y’all come back to my place and we’ll par-tay!”, and the crowds at his inaugural did. The thousands of people who swarmed the White House did tons of damage, Jackson had to be taken upstairs to avoid being crushed and suffocated, and it was Jackson’s slave/butler Alfred who saved the day by ordering all the wine and whiskey to be taken onto the lawn, which got rid of most of the people (many of whom stole furniture, glasses, wallpaper swatches, carpet pieces, and other items as souvenirs).
LBJ was the only president
1- sworn in on an airplane
2- sworn in next to the former First Lady
3- sworn in by a woman
Theodore Roosevelt was the only president who refused to be sworn in on a Bible. He said (not in these words but in essence) that it offended him both as a politician and as a man of faith to mingle church and state and chose to affirm with his hand raised instead. He was sworn in by his friend/cousin Ansley White at White’s mansion in Buffalo (close to where McKinley died) and had been planning a camping trip with his sons at the time. (McKinley had been shot 8 days before but was initially expected to recover.)
The first presidential inauguration was on Wall Street (Number 10 to be precise). In true capitalist spirit the building was torn down 50 years later and replaced with a bigger one. This famous building and statuenow stands on the spot.
Please share more.
