Retracing the steps of the Marquis de Lafayette in the U.S. Southeast [fr]

Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, the Marquis de Lafayette, is a French nobleman who served as a major-general in the Continental Army under George Washington.


Arrivée du Général Lafayette aux Etats-Unis : [estampe] / Esbrard sculp.: [(Gallica - Bibliothèque nationale de France)->https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k121869w]

Over forty years after the victory of the Battle of Yorktown, Lafayette visited the 24 Americans states, welcomed as a hero. An important advocate for the independence of the United States and a fervent defender of the abolition of slavery, Lafayette remains a celebrated, historical figure who symbolizes the long-standing alliance and friendship that unites our two countries.

The Lafayette Trail, an organization founded by Frenchman Julien Icher, seeks to raise awareness of the route taken by the Marquis de Lafayette during his 1824-1825 Farewell Tour of the United States. Through markers, The Lafayette Trail traces the general’s stops throughout the U.S., including his stops in the South.

In December 2020, the organization unveiled four new markers in North Carolina: in Conway, Enfield, Jackson and Raleigh. However, these are not the only markers in the U.S. Southeast. In October 2020, a marker was inaugurated in Cheraw, South Carolina to commemorate the Marquis de Lafayette’s stop on his way to Charleston in March 6, 1825. Likewise, in December 2019, a sign was installed at Fort Mitchell in Alabama, to mark the Marquis de Lafayette’s March 31, 1825 visit.

Julien Icher and The Lafayette Trail team have many projects for 2021 including the inauguration of additional signs: “We aim to have a minimum of 175 sites by 2024, which marks the bicentenary of Lafayette’s U.S. Tour in 1824 [and] to establish lasting connections around the figure of Lafayette and his many contributions to the independence of the United States, the abolitionist movement, and human rights,” Julien stated. The organization also plans to share digital and film resources, including videos related to its activities in North Carolina. This project was carried out with support of the North Carolina Humanities Council. Finally, the organization plans to develop more public events to increase awareness and online educational programs in order to adapt to the changes brought about by COVID-19.

Here is a list of Lafayette Trail markers inaugurated, or to come, in the U.S. Southeast:

Alabama

Fort Mitchell: On March 31, 1825, Lafayette crossed the Chattahoochee River and was received at Crowell’s Tavern, at the site of Fort Mitchell, before resuming his journey towards Montgomery, through Creek territory, accompanied by a military escort. A marker was installed in December 2019.

Fort Morgan: Alabama Governor Israel Pickens accompanied Lafayette to the site now occupied by Fort Morgan. An marker will be installed near the Fort’s Visitor Center.

Georgia

Milledgeville: Lafayette stopped in Milledgeville, the then-capital of Georgia, on March 27, 1825 to meet with Governor George Michael Troup at a reception held at the Capitol. A marker will be installed in early 2021 at the entrance to Georgia’s Old Governor’s Palace.

Mississippi

Natchez: A marker will be installed in Natchez to commemorate Lafayette’s arrival nearby at Bacon’s Landing. After being received at Tichenor’s Field, Lafayette proceeded to the Steamboat Hotel, where supper had been prepared for the nation’s guest.

North Carolina

Conway: This marker was installed in December 2020 on the site of the Zion United Methodist Church, formerly Zion Meeting House, where Lafayette was greeted by a local crowd on his way to Jackson on February 27, 1825.

Enfield: This marker was installed in December 2020 at The Cellar, where Joseph Branch entertained Lafayette on February 28, 1825, when Frenchman was en route to Raleigh and Fayetteville.

Fayetteville: Fayetteville is one of the first U.S. cities to bear the name of Lafayette. In March 2021, a marker will be installed in Cross Creek Linear Park, along Green Street, near a statue of Lafayette.

Jackson: A marker was installed in December 2020 in Lafayette Park. Jackson, known in 1825 as Northampton Courthouse, was where the North Carolina State Delegation officially received Lafayette on February 27, 1825.

Raleigh: In December 2020, a marker was installed on the campus of Shaw University, one of the oldest Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the United States. It honors Lafayette’s commitment to universal human rights and his March 2, 1825 visit to Raleigh.

South Carolina

Cheraw: A marker was installed in October 2020 at the antebellum-style Lafayette House at the corner of Kershaw and 3rd Streets.

Tennessee

Nashville: In March 2021, a marker will be installed at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, where Lafayette was received by President Jackson and his wife Rachel on May 5, 1825.

For more information about The Lafayette Trail and to consult the interactive map of the Marquis de Lafayette’s Farewell Tour (1824-1825), please follow the organization’s Facebook page and visit its official website.