1852: Dark Clouds Over The Pacific Coast Lighthouses - Part 1

March 1, 1850 was a damp, cold day in the District of Columbia. The clouds were darker gray than usual and because the sun did not appear. This was the inauguration day of Millard Fillmore as the thirteenth President of the United States. At the Department of the Treasury the fires were banked in the fireplaces in the ornate offices, the window drapes were drawn, and the doors were locked. The day was a holiday for all employees, to allow them time to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Fillmore, the big parade in front of the White House, and the splendid formal inaugural ball that evening.