President James Buchanan, 1857
| Vice President | John C. Breckinridge |
| Inauguration Date | Wednesday, March 4, 1857 |
| Location | East Portico, U.S. Capitol |
| Oath Administered By: | Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice |
| Bible Used: | Bible purchased by William Carroll, Clerk of the Supreme Court. It is identical to the Bible used by Abraham Lincoln in 1861, and both are dedicated to Carroll's wife Sally. |
| Length of Inaugural Address: | 2,822 words |
| Attire (what the president wore): | Unknown |
| Weather: | Sunny. Estimated noon temperature of 49°F. |
| Precedents, "firsts" or other interesting information: | Buchanan's was the first known photographed Inaugural ceremony. |
Library of Congress
Inauguration of James Buchanan at the U.S. Capitol's east front, 1857
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- For more images of Buchanan's Inauguration, visit the Senate Curator's Inaugural exhibit.