Show Washington Started New Years Year's Open House at New York George Washington as first president president president dent of the United States moved with the seat of the newly founded government from Philadelphia to New York in 1789 New Years Year's Day 1790 fell on a Friday Washington who had been accustomed to hold open house on Fridays in Philadelphia continued to do so in New York Therefore it was pot not until the steady stream of callers on New Years Year's Day persisted throughout the late afternoon and evening that Washington gave the matter a second thought Inquiring whether such procedure was customary Washington was in informed in- in informed informed formed by a native New Yorker that the th Dutch settlers had brought the custom of making calls on New Years' Years Day to New N w Amsterdam English and French colonists fell into the routine and by 1790 no New Yorker would dream of letting the first day pass without calling upon his lady his friends Washington Wash caught the spirit of this cordial and cheerful ob ob- observance observance ob- ob observance servance of New Years Year's Day and continued the custom throughout his administration Presidents Adams and Jefferson followed precedent and when the capital moved to Washington D. D C. C the reception be be- became became became came an integral part of the social calendar attended by increasing ceremonies and lengthening receiving receiving receiving ing lines President Taft shook hands with about persons in 1910 Pres Franklin D. D Roosevelt sus sus- suspended suspended suspended the White e House reception in 1934 his lameness having made it difficult for him to stand in the receiving line for any length of time |