President George Washington’s gavel will sit on the rostrum in honor of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.
WASHINGTON — Speaker Mike Johnson will display George Washington’s gavel during the State of the Union on Tuesday.
The U.S. Capitol Historical Society says it’s the first time the gavel will be displayed during the president’s speech to Congress. It will sit on the rostrum in honor of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.
Washington used the gavel in 1793 to lay the cornerstone of the Capitol building, according to the Historical Society. It’s been maintained ever since by the Potomac Lodge No. 5, a Masonic Lodge in Washington, D.C.
“At the Capitol site, Washington stepped into a dug trench, laid a silver plate onto the ground, and set the cornerstone atop it,” the Capitol Historical Society wrote in a news release. “He was accompanied by brethren who conducted a Masonic ritual with corn (a symbol of nourishment), wine (a symbol of refreshment), and oil (a symbol of joy). Witnesses then chanted and celebrated until night.”
Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
