The country was bitterly divided. A contentious presidential election loomed. The greatest generation from America’s last good war was dying off. Would the experiment succeed? Would the journey continue? Would we even make it to the 50th anniversary of our birth?
Congress and President James Monroe invited American Revolution war hero the Marquis de Lafayette here in 1824. He ended up touring the entire country. Everywhere he went, muskets were fired, music was played, and stories were told. His visit was bigger than a Taylor Swift tour.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer has designated Sunday, August 18, 2024, as Lafayette Day in the county. He whizzed through us on the Boston Post Road on his way to Boston. He wasn’t even here a day. He stopped at the stagecoach stops on route before reaching the Byram River and being handed over to the people from Greenwich.
The American Friends of Lafayette is celebrating that visit to Westchester. There will be three buses on 150 people traveling along Route 1 including a Lafayette interpreter and Virginie Lafayette, a direct descendant.
The communities along the way will be sponsoring free Lafayette Day activities in recognition of this event. Bring your family. Bring your friends. Spread the word. Connect to this bicentennial event in American history.
1:00-3:00 Ruby Dee Library Park, New Rochelle
The Huguenot & New Rochelle Historical Association and the Thomas Paine Cottage will have a family programming day that will depict life in New Rochelle at the time of Lafayette’s visit. It will be similar to a Colonial Fair. It will have reenactors, music, petting zoo and interactive activities for the children. The library will also be opened to view a children’s art exhibit with Lafayette’s visit as the theme as well. The American Friends of Lafayette panels will be on exhibit in the library. Storyteller Jonathan Kruk will perform. The park is approximately one block from the stagecoach stop where Lafayette actually did stop.
1:00-4:00 The Old School House, Mamaroneck
The exact spot where Lafayette stopped on the Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck is not known. We are using the Old School House located by the harbor as the site for the program. The Mamaroneck History Society, the Lions Club, and the DAR will have a program with various re-enactors, musicians and crafts people of the era. Storyteller Jonathan Kruk will perform. The American Legion Post 90, will fire a 19-gun salute.
2:30- 5:45 The Rye Historical Society, Rye
The Rye Historical Society, in partnership with the Rye Free Reading Room and American Friends of Lafayette, proudly presents “Lafayette Returns to Rye,” a patriotic celebration commemorating Major General Lafayette’s return tour to America. This event commemorates Lafayette’s historic visit to Penfield’s Square House Inn and Tavern, now part of the Rye Historical Society, where he dined with his son George Washington Lafayette during his 1824 tour of New York. The day will be filled with revelry, with a highlight being a reenactment skit led by Doug Carey of Tomorrow Leaders. This reenactment will vividly bring Lafayette’s visit to life, making history tangible and engaging for all attendees.
6:00-6:30 Byram River
There will be a ceremony at William James Memorial Gateway Park in Port Chester where Lafayette left Westchester, New York for Greenwich, Connecticut. New York will be represented by Village of Port Chester Deputy Mayor Phil Dorazio and Town of Rye Supervisor Gary Zuckerman. Greenwich will be represented by First Selectman Fred Camillo. There will be a short procession from the Park to the Gateway to Greenwich sign.
The handoff concludes Lafayette’s brief visit to the County. The American Friends of Lafayette will then have dinner from the Barley Beach House and enjoy a magnificent sunset overlooking Long Island after a long day of travelling.
6:30-8:00 Town of Rye Park
During the dinner, there will be free to the general public cannon fire from the Living History Guild and performances by the X Factor Drumline.
Dr. Peter Feinman
American Friends of Lafayette
Institute of History, Archaeology, and Education
feinmanp@ihare.org
