By JEFF EPSTEIN
[email protected]
PLAINFIELD — Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, is a major figure in American history, known for assisting the Revolutionary Army at the decisive battle in Yorktown, Virgina. After that war, he returned to his native France and had a major role in the French Revolution.
His greatest triumph, however, was visiting Claremont and Windsor, Vt.
Now, most history books put the emphasis on that George Washington stuff, but hey, the really important thing is that he crossed the Cornish-Windsor bridge. Surely, some history book somewhere must say that, although, um, none could be found at the present time.
However, it will be a little easier going forward for future generations in this area to brag on Lafayette, as a French scholar has created an interactive map that displays on a website Lafayette’s travels around the Connecticut River Valley.
Julien P. Icher, the founder and executive director of The Lafayette Trail (www.thelafayettetrail.com) presented information about his work and the website at the Philip Read Memorial Library here Friday.
Let’s back up a little. Lafayette visited Claremont in 1825 (he actually visited all 24 states in the nation at that time), at the invitation of President James Monroe, and he received a rousing welcome across the country as the war hero he was.
But while recountings of Lafayette’s story largely emphasize his younger years helping Washington, this latter-day sojourn across the U.S., not many years before his death, is often overlooked. This is where Icher comes in.
Wanting to deepen his English-as-a-second-language skills with an immersive experience, Icher decided to study at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. His thesis topic concerned the reenactors and costumed guides that work at Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown.
According to Icher’s website, his father introduced him to Bernard Caillot, a French member of the American Friends of Lafayette (AFL), the historical society dedicated to the marquis. Caillot invited him to join the society at their 2015 annual meeting in Yorktown to greet Lafayette’s reconstructed ship, Hermione, on its arrival in America.
After returning to France, Icher worked as a remote-sensing operator in geospatial analysis and was then awarded a master’s degree in geography.
His mapping program is still a work in progress, and Icher said he hopes to eventually map all of Lafayette’s journey. But to tie it into real-world tourism, he also wants physical signage to highlight the route with historical markers, similar to the brown signs that point to the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site, for example.
“We’re about to unveil some markers in Massachusetts. I’m working with the New Hampshire legislature here to sign from Cornish Bridge all the way to Durham in Dover,” he said. One of Icher’s associates said that a bill may be introduced in Concord in time for next year’s legislative session.
Here are the events noted on the online trail that the markers in our area would cover:
June 27, 1825: Newport – “Arriving by Route 103, Lafayette stopped for lunch at the Breck House located at 51 South Main Street. The house was then moved to Quechee, Vermont and rebuilt. Before leaving for Claremont, Lafayette was entertained at Col. Cheney’s House.”
June 27, 1825: Claremont – “Lafayette arrived late on June 27. He spent the night at the Tremont House. The day after, he was addressed by Dr. Leonard Jarvis, from the Claremont Committee. He left on June 28 headed toward Vermont.”
June 28, 1825: Route 12A — “On his way to Vermont, Lafayette stopped at Cooke Tavern. Today, the location is all but covered by green and a sign commemorates the visit of the general.”
June 28, 1825: Windsor, Vt. — “Lafayette crossed into Vermont in the morning using the Cornish-Windsor bridge. This bridge, spanning the Connecticut River, was uncovered during the time of his visit.”
June 28, 1825: Windsor, Vt. — “Located at 54 Main Street, Windsor, Vermont, the Windsor House, formerly referred to as the John Pettee’s Coffee House, was used by Lafayette to address a crowd.”
Note: From here on, Lafayette visited communities outside the Eagle Times service area. He may have been as much as an hour behind schedule at this point in his journey, but no documentation exists.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.