Spectators travel to witness moment of U.S. history - NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News

The presidential inauguration is a once-in-a-lifetime event for many spectators who made the trek to Washington, D.C. Monday.

For Dale and Shirley Good, the short trip from their Fan District home to the nation's capitol to witness history firsthand was too tempting to pass up.

"It's part of history. We're very excited to see President Obama take the oath" explained Dale. "It's our first time. We've never done it before."

While the couple braved the cold temperatures to come out at 6 a.m. and stake a spot along the parade route, they say they've enjoyed the experience and turned the occasion into an opportunity to tour the city.

"We went over and saw the Capitol all decked out," said Shirley. "It was really great."

"Everybody should do it at least once," added Dale. "Hopefully, on a warmer day."

The cold weather didn't seem to keep crowds away. While the masses weren't as robust as 4 years ago when President Obama took his first oath of office, around 750,000 people were estimated to have made the trip. People came from as far as Los Angeles to witness this moment in U.S. history.

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