Andrew Jackson’s Out of Control Inauguration Party (1829)
Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States, took the Oath of Office on March 4, 1829. With the inauguration ceremonies over, it was time to enjoy refreshments and polite conversation with people who showed up to pay their respects at the White House. Instead of tight security and a well-curated guest list, the White House held a veritable Open House.
An estimated 20,000 people surged on the White House to greet the new President. Punch spilled. Visitors knocked over trays of food. Furniture broke. People stood on the expensive furniture with fine upholstery in muddy boots. While the upper crust of Washington DC society expected larger crowds at the White House, they were not prepared for a raging party from all walks of society. Some accounts have Jackson climbing out a window to escape the crowd. White House historians say it was the congressman from Georgia and his wife.
