George Washington’s first presidential inauguration was held in New York City on April 30, 1789.
The ceremony took place on the balcony of Federal Hall, then the nation’s capital and the meeting place of the first United States Congress. Robert R. Livingston, chancellor of New York, administered the presidential oath. Washington’s inauguration marked the practical beginning of the executive branch under the Constitution, even though Congress had begun meeting earlier that spring.
Washington had been unanimously elected by the Electoral College in the first presidential election. John Adams became vice president and had already assumed that office before Washington’s ceremony. The capital later moved to Philadelphia and ultimately to Washington, D.C., which can cause confusion about the location of the first inauguration. Washington’s first term officially began on March 4, 1789, but delays prevented the government from operating fully until April, when the electoral results were certified and the oath was administered.