Remembering General Lafayette’s visit
Flash back 200 years to May 16, 1825. The setting is Gratz Park, then the home of Transylvania College, now Transylvania University.
Lexington is buzzing with excitement – the Marquis de Lafayette, the last surviving major general of the Revolutionary War, is in town. A crowd of thousands give him a hero’s welcome.
Today, Lexington commemorated the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s “Farewell Tour” of the nation in 1825. The tour included two days in Lexington. Details of his visit are now part of an interpretive sign unveiled in Gratz Park this afternoon.
“This year, as we celebrate Lexington’s 250th anniversary, we’re also celebrating our county’s namesake, General Lafayette,” said Mayor Linda Gorton, who will present an honorary citizenship to a direct descendant of Lafayette, Sabine Renault-Sablonière, at a dinner later tonight.
Dale Henley, former President of the Lafayette chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, organized the celebration activities, which also included a reenactor portraying the Marquis.
The new sign, which features photos of several items related to Lafayette’s visit, states, “General Lafayette was dedicated to the principles of liberty, equality, and human rights. He was not only a hero of the American Revolution but also a lifelong advocate for abolitionism, religious freedom and women’s equality.”
