CHARLOTTESVILLE -- People hoping to see President Bush waited for hours for a chance to get free tickets for Monticello's annual Independence Day Celebration and Naturalization Ceremony.

The 1,000 tickets distributed yesterday morning were snapped up in only 30 minutes.

David MacDonald of Charlottesville was among those waiting in line. He said tomorrow's ceremony is historic because Bush is only the fourth sitting president to participate in the annual ceremony. He was preceded by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, Harry S. Truman in 1947 and Gerald R. Ford in 1976.

The naturalization ceremony will include 75 new citizens from 30 countries. They will join the more than 3,000 men and women who have taken the oath of citizenship at the Albemarle County estate.