Every time the doorbell rang at Felicia Brown's home Tuesday night, her heart skipped a beat.

The Martinez wife and mother of three held an inauguration party at her home to celebrate President Obama's inauguration.

"I love the fact that people wanted to come out and celebrate with my family," she said. "It's something we're never going to forget."

Representatives of the civic action group MoveOn invited her to hold an inaugural bash at her home because there were few going on in the area, she said.

With the ongoing coverage of the day's events in the background, 16 party attendants gathered in the Browns' living room to enjoy champagne, finger foods and conversation about what many labeled an event they never expected to see.

Diane Morano, of Evans, said she scheduled her lunch break so she could see Mr. Obama get sworn in. She has watched the inaugurations of several presidents but was never motivated to celebrate, she said.

"This is the first campaign I've really been involved in," Ms. Morano said. "My generation hasn't had anything like this. Our parents had President Kennedy and Dr. King. Now, we have President Obama."

Catherine Robinson, of Evans, said she brought her 7-year-old daughter, Cathryn, to emphasize the importance of what happened Tuesday.

"I wanted her to see what hard work brings," she said. "When she doesn't want to do her work, she can think about this day."

Guy Blackstone said Tuesday was a turning point for America, so he wanted to enjoy a fun evening with people who were as excited as he is about Mr. Obama.

"Conservatism has had a 28-year run. Now there's enough people interested in changing that. It's a good feeling," he said.