George Washington took the first presidential oath on April 30, 1789, in New York City.
The ceremony took place on the balcony of Federal Hall, which stood on Wall Street in what was then the nation’s capital. Chancellor of New York Robert Livingston administered the oath before a large crowd gathered in the streets.
Washington’s inauguration occurred nearly two months after his presidential term officially began. John Adams had already assumed the vice presidency and presided over the Senate. After taking the oath, Washington delivered his inaugural address to Congress.
New York City was the temporary federal capital under the government established by the Constitution. The national government moved to Philadelphia in 1790 and later to Washington, D.C., which became the permanent capital. Washington’s ceremony is therefore distinct from later inaugurations held in Philadelphia or Washington, and from his second inauguration in 1793.