Inauguration of James Buchanan, President of the United States, at the east front of the U. S. Capitol, March 4, 1857

Forms part of Montgomery C. Meigs Papers; for additional information, see: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms006021
First photograph of an inauguration at the Capitol, which was still under construction in 1857. The stone yard in the foreground was covered with boards to provide a platform for the crowd. The life dates of the photographer, John Wood, are unknown, but he was the photographer for the Architect of the Capitol from 1856 to 1861. Mr. Wood then entered the war as a photographer of maps for McClellan. Another print of this image of Buchanan's inauguration in 1857 is in the photography collection of the Architect of the Capitol.
Inauguration of James Buchanan, President of the United States, at the east front of the U. S. Capitol, March 4, 1857.
Original document scanned in 1999-2000 for the former American Memory presentation “I Do Solemnly Swear”: Presidential Inaugurations (retired 2016).