George Washington took the presidential oath of office for the first time on April 30, 1789.
The ceremony occurred at Federal Hall in New York City, then the nation’s capital. Chancellor of New York Robert Livingston administered the oath from the building’s balcony before a large public crowd. Washington’s inauguration marked the beginning of the executive branch under the new constitutional system.
The date differed from the start of the first presidential term. Congress had designated March 4, 1789, as the beginning of the federal government under the Constitution, but logistical delays prevented the Electoral College votes from being counted and certified immediately. Washington therefore traveled to New York after receiving official notice of his election.
John Adams had already assumed the vice presidency on April 21 and attended the inauguration. Afterward, Washington delivered his first inaugural address in the Senate chamber. Federal Hall later disappeared, but the site remains commemorated in Lower Manhattan.