Washington DC

Inauguration Day

Once again, and just as we are getting to another high point in our Oregon trip, I pause in my recounting of our Journey to a Land of Water Wind and Fire, to become a bit more “contemporary” and discuss a “current event:” Inauguration Day. Only, for me, Inauguration Day is not a National or International Event, rather it is for me, since I grew up in the town, a local event. And so, I wish to present a few “observations” or memories of what this day has meant to me through the years.

First off, I wish to have everyone reading this posting remember, that for me, as for countless other Americans, the current site of the Inauguration is not the site of my youth. No, for me, and countless Americans who lived between March 4, 1837 (Martin Van Buren’s Inaugural) and January 20, 1977 (Jimmy Carter’s Inaugural), the actual “changing of the power” (i.e. the swearing in ceremony) occurred on the East Side of the Capitol Building, in an area referred to by the Architect of the Capitol office as “The East Portico.” (Those of you who wish to have a recount go to: http://inaugural.senate.gov/history/chronology/index.cfm )


The change to the West Front probably occurred in recognition of the fact that Washington DC had become a changed city by 1981 when Ronald Reagan took office for the first time. Back in Van Buren’s time Washington was a small city. Only a few people lived there. And those who did, lived to the East of the Capitol, in the area known then, and now, as Capitol Hill. Today, we look out to the west and we see grass, monuments, museums, cars, and, of course today, a sea of people. But back in 1837, what one saw was swamp, mud, a slow-moving canal, and a bunch of small houses, many of some questionable character. Indeed, according to some historians, during the Civil War era (1861-65) a large part of the area between the Capitol and the White House was given over to “The Red Light District.” Also even before the War had started, railroad tracks ran across the mall connecting the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad with the roads leading south (via the “Long Bridge” which was eventually replaced by what we called the “14th Street Bridge when I was a kid).

So today the view out the West is much better. It certainly is more dignified, and not as "smelly" to boot (though with the Inauguration in the Winter, the smell associated with swamps is rarely a problem). Plus, with the whole slope of the land, it lends itself to allowing more people to participate. This increased visability may even have been in the plans of the Architect of the Capitol when an extension to the West Front was made in the 1890's.


And thus, today, President Barack Obama took the oath of office on the West Front (or “Portico” as the Architect of the Capitol calls it).





But enough of that, what about my memories of Inauguration growing up?

The first Inauguration I remember was the Truman-Barkley Inaugural in 1949. What I remember most was the fact that my Dad, my sister, and I went over to a friend’s house who lived in Southwest DC near where the Inaugural Parade lines up. We spent the morning walking past the various floats that were receiving their “last-minute” touch-ups. We got much the same view of the 1949Inauguration Parade that my grandson did recently of the 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

On my other site, A Collection of Railroad Stations, I recount my most vivid memory of the 1953 Inauguration. My only additional memory was that we had to go over and pick-up my grandparents and bring them over to our house for dinner and then get them back to their home. Now, that might seem an innocent task, to be sure, except my Grandparents lived in the 100 Block of C St. NE. The house no longer exists, it was taken over by the Capitol Architect’s Office and part of the Hart Senate Office Building occupies the site.

By 1953 my grandmother was in very poor health, indeed she would die only a few years later. In particular, by this time she was having trouble walking. Thus, Dad had to co-ordinate our movements carefully. I remember that we drove over as far as we could on C Street and found a place to park. Then Dad walked on down about ½ block to where there was a uniformed Marine. Dad explained he had to go get his parents and bring them out of the area to our car. The Marine let him go, and as Dad brought his parents out, the Marine, seeing the situation apologized and said if Dad could delay our return until 4 o’clock, then he would be able to drive right up to my grandparent’s house.

The 1957 Inaugural Parade is the only Inaugural Parade I ever saw in person. We had seats in one of the buildings lining the route. Our location was just where the parade leaves Constitution Avenue and turns onto Pennsylvania Avenue. At that time, there were still streetcars in DC. Thus Pennsylvania Avenue had streetcar tracks running down the middle of it. One of the state floats, I believe it was Louisiana, consisted of a big platform with a band seated on it playing, pulled by a 1957 version of a truck cab. As the platform turned onto Pennsylvania Avenue, it got stuck on the streetcar tracks. Several following floats had to “detour” around the stuck float, but they eventually got everything moving again. Streetcars were already on their way out of DC’s “life” (thanks to a certain Congressman from Michigan), but I suspect this incident hastened their demise, and the removal of their tracks from Pennsylvania Ave.

My most vivid memory of the 1961 Kennedy Inauguration was that the city of Washington was paralyzed the night before by a snowfall that exceeded 10 inches. I had been at a basketball game at Eastern High School that night, and the trip home, which normally took 30 minutes to an hour at the most, turned into a 4 hour marathon, as all the snow moving equipment was taken from the streets and applied to the parade route. They even brought in Army Flame throwers to dry the route off. The next day, Inauguration Day, we were "snowed in" at our house, and along with millions of other Americans watched on TV as the cars and the officials, and the bands, floats etc. all paraded by on a nice, clean, dry street with only a hint of snow anywere. In other words, the televised ceremony seen by millions in 1961 (and via re-runs by countless others since then) bore little resemblance to the reality for most people (but then, a lot of the Kennedy Administration was like that).

And that brings us down to 2009. No, I didn’t go there today, except on TV. But A. and I did walk by the Capitol in December. We were on a stop-over in DC waiting to catch our train back to WV. And we took a walk around the Capitol. And when we got to the west side what did we see?

And then we saw the actual construction as well.







Well, so much for memories of DC and Inauguration. Next time, I promise, the Pumice Field at Newberry National Volcanic Monument.