On the morning of Wednesday, March 4th , 1801, Thomas Jefferson emerged from the Conrad and McMunn boarding house at New Jersey Avenue and C Street, where he had been residing for several months. Demonstrating his desire for “republican simplicity,” Jefferson broke the precedent set by his predecessors Adams and George Washington, who had worn elegant suits and swords for their inaugurations and been driven to the ceremonies in liveried coaches. The tall, 57 year-old Virginian wore, the Alexandria Times reported, the clothes “of a plain citizen without any distinctive badge of office,” and walked the short distance to the...