WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 7-13, 2021 UCW 11
Join Hands... Become a Partner
in Child Abuse Prevention!
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month
Please join hands with us and become
a partner in child abuse prevention.
To learn how, visit CACFayNC.org.
Lafayette Trail makes historical mark on Fayetteville
by AUDREY HOGUE
A historical marker was placed March 5 on
the edge of Cross Creek Linear Park designating
Fayetteville as a stop on the Marquis de Lafayette's
tour of the United States nearly 200 years ago. e
placement is part of the Lafayette Trail Project
founded by Julien Icher and leads up to the bicen-
tennial celebration of Lafayette's Grand Tour of
1824-25.
Lafayette was a French nobleman who fought
alongside the American people in the Revolution-
ary War. His loyalty to General George Washington,
his resources, and his alliance with the French king
all played an important role in the American people
earning their independence from the English crown.
is Trail marker is one of five in North Carolina
that helps map out Lafayette's tour 196 years ago.
Icher, from France, has collected extensive details
and artifacts about Lafayette. His multi-year project
aims to place a marker at each of Lafayette's stops
during his tour.
e placement of the historical marker is a notable
designation of our city's connection to Lafayette and
the Revolutionary War, said Bud Lafferty, a member
of the Lafayette Society.
When Lafayette arrived in Fayetteville in March
of 1825, he visited multiple places during his stop.
He arrived in a carriage with a whole entourage that
was so big that, instead of staying in the hotel named
after him, he actually stayed in the National Bank-
ing House (which is the old courthouse today). e
carriage that Lafayette came in is still in Fayetteville
and is located at the Fayetteville Independent Light
Infantry Museum.
Lafferty said that Lafayette was for the rights of
man, as well as an abolitionist. He said that Lafay-
ette received a warm welcome when he arrived in
Fayetteville, which had been renamed in his honor
in 1783.
ere will eventually be markers in 25 states that
Lafayette visited during his tour. Members of the
Lafayette Society say the markers will help increase
awareness of the story of the Marquis de Lafayette
and Fayetteville's own connection to history.
For more information on e Lafayette Society and
events visit their website at https://www.lafayetteso-
ciety.org/.
For more information about the Lafayette Trail
visit https://thelafayettetrail.org/#map.
AUDREY HOGUE, Up & Coming
Weekly Intern. COMMENTS? Editor@
upandcomingweekly.com 910-484-6200.
NEWS
Fayetteville is home to one of five Lafayette Trail mark-
ers in North Carolina.
A special "guest" attended the ceremony to place the
Lafayette Trail marker in downtown Fayetteville.
Lafayette Trail Project founder Julien Icher (right)
views an exhibit with local historian Bruce Daws.
