Events are planned throughout upstate New York in June to mark the bicentennial of the historic visit of Revolutionary War hero, General Lafayette.
Lafayette was a French aristocrat and military officer who volunteered to join the Continental Army in America's fight for independence.
"He really earned his stripes," said local historian and author Chris Carosa. "He fought in battles, he got wounded, he led troops, and he participated in the final victory at Yorktown."
When President James Monroe invited Lafayette to take a "farewell tour" of the country in 1824, Lafayette was the last surviving general of the Revolution and the United States was a young nation. The visit was meant to rekindle the spirit of patriotism among the people.
Lafayette's tour passed through upstate New York in 1825. At that time, Rochester was not yet a city, but the small community of Rochesterville. Lafayette arrived in town on June 7, greeted by thousands of people on what is today the Broad Street Bridge. He stepped off the boat onto a platform in the middle of the Genesee River Aqueduct.
Some members of the local welcoming committee were reportedly so in awe of the general, that they were tongue-tied.
"Imagine how young people would treat say, I don't know, the surviving Beatles coming through and shaking their hands," Carosa said. "This was a rock star tour, and the entire nation embraced him. And I think he embraced the entire nation, too."
A re-enactment of Lafayette's Farewell Tour will take place in Rochester on Saturday, June 7 at 280 Exchange Blvd., along the western bank of the Genesee River. Actors and local leaders will portray Lafayette and notable 19th century dignitaries who spoke during the general's visit. School and community bands will play music from the 1825 era.
Other events are planned in Mendon and Canandaigua, retracing the route the general traveled two hundred years ago.
An exhibit, "Hero of Two Worlds," exploring Lafayette's life, opens Monday, May 19 at 4:30 pm. at the Rochester Central Library.
The exhibit was co-curated by the Office of Rochester & Monroe County History and the Rochester Chapter of the American Friends of Lafayette.
Following the opening, Chris Carosa is scheduled to speak about Lafayette's historic visit in the library's in the Kusler-Cox Auditorium at 5:30 pm.
Carosa's book is, "History Unleashed: Lafayette's Remarkable Tour of the Greater Western New York Region."
