George Washington's first presidential inauguration was held at Federal Hall in New York City.
Washington took the presidential oath on April 30, 1789, on the building's balcony. Chancellor of New York Robert Livingston administered the oath before a crowd gathered outside. Federal Hall was then the meeting place of the first United States Congress and stood on Wall Street.
The ceremony occurred nearly two months after Washington's four-year term had officially begun, because the electoral and congressional arrangements took time. Vice President John Adams had already assumed his office and presided over the Senate. After the oath, Washington and members of Congress attended a service at St. Paul's Chapel.
The original Federal Hall was later demolished, and the present Federal Hall National Memorial occupies the site. Washington's inauguration established precedents for the ceremony, including the public oath and inaugural address. New York City served as the national capital temporarily before the government moved to Philadelphia in 1790.