William Henry Harrison at the Whig Party Inaugural Ball as later imagined by an artist.

John Quincy Adams summarized his experience of the very first Inaugural Ball of 1809 by saying, “The crowd was excessive, the heat oppressive and the entertainment bad.” Those seeking continuity between it and President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball on Monday, January 21, 2013 might only need to look across the ballroom floor. Or at least try to.

Some 19th century Inaugural Balls were held in tents on days of sub-zero temperatures,  so the heat has not always been oppressive. With professional singers and bands performing at Inaugural Balls since the mid-2oth century, the entertainment has not always been bad.

As images from almost two hundred years of Inaugural Balls prove, however, the crowds have always been excessive.

Jane Pierce with her son Benjamin who was killed just prior to his father’s 1853 Inauguration.

In the first 100 years which followed the 1809 Presidential Inaugural Ball of James Madison, at least one Inaugural Ball was held for every elected President, except for Franklin Pierce in 1857, then in mourning for his eleven-year old son, and Rutherford Hayes in 1877, whose disputed election led to an unusual inauguration with no time to plan a ball.

Pierce’s 1853 Inaugural Reception at the White House.

Although Mrs. Pierce was depressed and in deep mourning after their son’s death to even appear in Washington for her husband’s inaugural, the new President did host a White House reception, following his swearing-in ceremony.

The only two Presidents elected from the Whig Party even featured three separate Inaugural Balls each, in 1841 for William Henry Harrison and 1849 held for Zachary Taylor.

The Hardings flank Evalyn McLean in front of her I Street mansion, where she hosted their private 1921 Inaugural Ball.

Woodrow Wilson ordered the cancellation of a ball, considering it frivolous on a day that should be solemn, both for his 1913 and 1917 Inauguration Days.

For his 1921 Inauguration Day, Warren G. Harding appointed his two chums Edward B. McLean and Jess Smith as co-chairmen of an Inaugural Ball, but public criticism of reviving the big party caused him to reconsider and cancel it.

The 1929 Hoover Charity Inaugural Ball.

Instead, Ned’s wife, Evalyn Walsh McLean hosted an over-the-top private ball at their Washington, D.C. mansion, heralding in the Jazz Age.

During the next six Presidential Inaugurations, from 1925 to 1945, however, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt made no attempt to revive the Inaugural Ball tradition.

Instead, on the evenings of their Inauguration Days, fundraising balls were held in Washington hotels to raise money for local charities. During those held on Franklin Roosevelt’s Inauguration nights, his favorite charity the March of Dimes for Infantile Paralysis was made the recipient of the money raised and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt appeared at the events.

Eleanor Roosevelt attending the 1932 charity Inaugural Ball.

The tradition of the Inaugural Ball returned on January 20, 1949 in honor of Harry S. Truman taking the oath of office that day, after having been elected to his own full term. And it has never ceased ever since then.

Two other Inaugural Ball footnote worth mentioning.First, although Inaugural luncheons and receptions have been hosted in the White House, there has never been an Inaugural Ball held there.

Secondly, there was one newly-inaugurated President who actually hosted his Inaugural Ball in his own private home. When James Monroe took his oath of office for his first term on March 4, 1817, he and his family did not yet have an official residence to move into. The White House had been burned in 1814 by British troops during the War of 1812, forcing the incumbents James and Dolley Madison to move out, into temporary headquarters where they would remain through the end of his Administration.

Monroe’s 1817 Inaugural Ball was hosted in his own home; it still stands, long in use as the Washington Arts Club. (Washington Arts Club)

Their successors, James and Elizabeth Monroe were living in their private home on I Street at the time of his Inauguration, the renovated White House not ready for occupancy until some months later. So that’s where they hosted his 1817 Inaugural Ball, albeit for a much smaller population of Washington than exists today.

The Monroe House, long used as the private Washington Arts Club, still stands.

Whether it was in a canvas tent or a hotel ballroom, for a Democrat or Republican, initiating a first term or a second term, the one consistent element which has remained consistent for over two centuries now is that the Presidential Inaugural Ball has always been jammed, crowded, and packed with partisan party loyalists, political opportunists, historical witnesses, social climbers and people who want to dance or claim they found enough room on the ballroom floor and just say they did.

And while the focus inevitably shifts to what the President said or what the First Lady wore, the truly central figures of the Inaugural Ball is really the people who make the effort and spend the money to attend. They may think they are there to just pay homage to the person elected to the presidency but they are also, more largely, certifying with celebration the very process of a free election.

Stolen or otherwise.

Here now, a glimpse back at the hundreds of thousands who came to Washington and attended the Inaugural Balls, with a few occasional glances at the Presidents and First Ladies who also happened to be there.

One of William Henry Harrison’s Inaugural Balls in 1841.

The 1845 Polk Inaugural Ball when dancing was permitted only when the new First Lady was gone, since she disapproved of it on religious grounds.

Guests at Taylor’s Inaugural Ball ravaged the dinner tables.

James Buchanan and his niece Harriet Lane who served as First Lady arrive at his 1857n Inaugural Ball.

Buchanan’s 1857 Inaugural Ball; with the Civil War soon upon the nation one European diplomatic thought those at the ball were “dancing on a volcano.”:

At the 1861 Inaugural Ball Mary Todd Lincoln danced the quadrille with Stephen Douglas who was defeated by her husband for the presidency.

Grant’s 1873 Inaugural Ball.

Cartoonist Thmas Nast’s depiction of the crazed crowds at the Grant 1869 Inaugural Ball supper tables, including outgoing President Andrew Johnson at far right – who wasn’t there.

Garfield’s 1881 Inaugural Ball in the newly built Smithsonian Building

Grover Cleveland and his sister Rose Elizabeth, who served as his First Lady, greet guests at his 1886 Inaugural Ball.

Cleveland’s 1885 Inaugural Ball.

Cleveland’s 1893 Inaugural Ball (fayettevillefreelibrary.org).

Harrison’s 1889 Inaugural Ball.

McKinley’s 1897 Inaugural Ball in the Pension Building.

McKinley’s 1901 Inaugural Ball.

Guests at either the 1905 Roosevelt Inaugural Ball or the Taft one in 1909, at the Pension Building.

Nellie Taft in her 1909 inaugural gown, which she donated to the Smithsonian four years later, beginning its famous collection of First Ladies clothing.

The 1949 Truman Inaugural Ball (Truman Library).

Guests waiting on line to enter one of Eisenhower’s 1952 Inaugural Balls.

Eisenhower’s 1953 Inaugural Ball.

The Eisenhowers at their 1953 Inaugural Ball with various performing artists.(Eisenhower Library)

One of the 1957 Eisenhower Inaugural Balls.

The Eisenhowers at the 1957 Inaugural Ball.

The crowds mass around JFK, located in blue circle, at his 1961 Sheraton-Park Hotel Inaugural Ball.

President Kennedy engulfed by 1961 Inaugural Ball guests.

One of the 1965 LBJ Inaugural Balls.

Room was cleared for the President, Vice President and their wives to dance at one of LBJ’s 1965 Inaugural Ball.

Room was not cleared for the President and his wife to dance at the 1965 Inaugural Ball at the Armory.

Guests at the Sheraton-Park Hotel 1969 Inaugural Ball gather around President Nixon as he speaks.

A perspective on the crowds from the presidential podium at the 1969 Inaugural Ball held at the Mayflower Hotel.

One of the 1977 Carter Inaugural Balls. (James Howell Pickerell)

Yoko Ono, John Lennon and Muhammad Ali at the 1977 Carter Inaugural Ball. (likethedew.com)

Carter’s 1977 Inaugural Ball.

The jam-packed 1981 Reagan Inaugural Ball at the Kennedy Center.

Another view of the 1981 Reagan Inaugural Ball held at the Kennedy Center.

Reagan’s 1985 Inaugural Ball in the restored old Pension Building, the first one held there since 1909.

The 1985 Reagan Youth Ball.

The Reagans greet Coretta Scott King at the 1985 Inaugural Ball.

Crowds mass for a glimpse of the President and Mrs. Bush dancing at one of the 1989 Inaugural Ball.

The new Vice President arrives at one of the 1989 Bush Inaugural Balls.

The1989 Bush Inaugural Ball (tusconcitizen.com).

The 1993 Clinton Inaugural Ball. (AP)

The 1993 Clinton Inaugural Youth Ball.

Clinton played the sax at one of his 1993 Inaugural Balls (rappahannock.edu).

One of the 2001 Bush Inaugural Balls.

The 2005 Bush Inaugural Ball.

One of the 2009 Obama Inaugural Balls.

One of the 2009 Obama Inaugural Ball, with Dr. Ruth Westheimer right up front. (AP)

The Obamas dancing at the 2009 Inaugural Ball in the Pension Building.

All that said and done, a Presidential Inauguration need not even have an official Inaugural Ball for the public to come out in massive numbers of crowds.

On the very night of the very first Presidential Inauguration of George Washington in 1789, the people partied in the streets of old New York.

By all accounts, they still had a ball.

Crowds massed the streets of New York in 1789 on the night of George Washington’s first Inaugural, even though there was no Inaugural Ball.

Related articles

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• Bomb Threats, Suffragists & A Broken Campaign Pledge: The 1917 Sunday Inauguration, Part 5 (carlanthonyonline.com)
• A Mid-Century Cold War Show & High Visibility Veep: The 1957 Sunday Inauguration, Part 6 (carlanthonyonline.com)

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