Where did George Washington take the first U.S. presidential oath of office?

George Washington took the first U.S. presidential oath of office in New York City.

The inauguration occurred on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall on Wall Street. Chancellor Robert Livingston of New York administered the oath, while Washington placed his hand on a Bible borrowed from St. John’s Lodge No. 1.

New York City was the temporary national capital under the new federal government. The city hosted the first session of Congress and the early executive departments before the capital moved to Philadelphia in 1790.

Washington’s inauguration established several traditions, including a public oath and an inaugural address. The familiar phrase “So help me God” is traditionally associated with the ceremony, although historians debate whether Washington actually said it as part of the oath. The permanent capital later moved to Washington, D.C., in 1800.