1932
Celebrations - Parades - Municipal events - Washington Bicentennial series, No. 1.
Celebrations Parades Municipal Events: (1) No.1, Washington Bicentennial Series. Barges transporting General George Washington (Impersonated by Kenneth Murchison) and his party from New Jersey to New York in the Washington Bicentennial celebrations in New York City. On the 143rd anniversary of his first inauguration as president, Washington returned to New York by barge, landing at Pier 11, at the foot of Wall Street. Here he entered the coach in which he had ridden in 1789; it having been carefully preserved in a Philadelphia museum and brought here especially for the occasion. He was driven in this coach to Fraunces's Tavern, where he was greeted by Mayor James J. Walker, Lieutenant-Governor Herbert Lehman, former Governor Alfred E. Smith, and others, including the descendants of the original tavern keeper, who impersonated by their descendants. In this instance, the public licensed to deal with this, Washington delivered his address on April 30, 1789. Following this, the party broke up to be re-formed early in the afternoon for the parade, accompanied by a regiment of veterans of the Revolution, he marched up Fifth Avenue to Madison Square (viewing with amazement what had been a country lane in his day), east on 26th Street to Madison Avenue, on Madison Avenue to 42nd Street, and west Street to Bryant Park. There a replica of Federal Hall had been erected especially for the occasion, the original, which stood from 1700 to 1812, was on the corner of Nassau Street, had been demolished in 1834 for the erection of the present Sub-Treasury Building. When the coast-to-coast radio network took the oath of office, and sworn in as President of the United States by John Livingston on the steps before the crowd. The live George Washington, President of the United States, was brought into the scene by a display of fireworks on the new George Washington Bridge over the Hudson River. The following photographs will depict the entire proceedings, from the landing of the barges to the concluding fireworks. P.L.Sperr April 30, 1932 (2) No.2, "Washington Bicentennial Series. Same as No.1, but showing two of the East River bridges. P.L.Sperr April 30, 1932 (3) No.3, Washington Bicentennial Series. George Washington (at extreme right) leaves Pier 11, to enter his inaugural coach and ride to Fraunces's Tavern. P.L.Sperr April 30, 1932 ROOM 300
Photo from the New York Public Library - Milstein Collection
