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JACKSON – On Feb. 27, 1825, Marquis de Lafayette was welcomed to the little community of Northampton Courthouse (present day Jackson) by the state delegation and a crowd of well-wishers.

On Feb. 27, 2025 – exactly two hundred years later – that momentous occasion was recreated thanks to the American Friends of Lafayette (AFL) along with officials from the Northampton County Tourism Development Authority, the Northampton County Museum, and the Town of Jackson.

The event was a part of a 13-month celebration organized by AFL to follow Lafayette’s footsteps as he toured the United States in 1824 and 1825.

Despite being a French aristocrat, Lafayette was famous in America for taking part in the Revolutionary War on the side of the Americans, earning the rank of General during his time as a soldier. He was wounded in the battle of Brandywine, endured the harsh winter at Valley Forge with George Washington, and played a pivotal role in the war’s final battle in Yorktown.

During his nationwide tour 50 years later, he was the last surviving general from the war.

On Thursday of last week, a more modern-day crowd gathered at the courthouse steps to welcome Lafayette and his entourage, just as people did 200 years ago. Lafayette, portrayed by Dr. Samuel Powell, arrived in a horse-drawn carriage that stopped in front of the county’s historic courthouse in Jackson’s downtown business district. Young ladies dressed in white (portrayed by students from Northeast Academy) showered Lafayette with flower petals as he ascended the courthouse steps.

He was then greeted by Chief Justice John Louis Taylor (portrayed by Northampton County native Frank Womble), Col. William Polk (portrayed by Polk’s real-life descendent Helen Chapman), and the mayor of Northampton Courthouse (portrayed by Jackson town commissioner and event organizer Jim Gossip).

In their roles, all read welcome speeches to Lafayette as they would have done 200 years ago.

Dr. Powell, in his role as Lafayette, responded with a brief speech of gratitude as well.

Following the reenactment of the welcome, the group went down the street for photos at the mural on the side of the Embassy Café which commemorated Lafayette’s original 1825 visit, and then more photos across the street at “Lafayette Park.”

Visitors who came out to the event were able to view an educational exhibit at Bay Sire Bistro. The exhibit told the tale of who Lafayette was and also featured displays of artifacts from the same time period of his visit.

When Lafayette visited the town in 1825, records show that he also dined at Calvert’s Tavern, which stood in the same general area as Lafayette Park is today. For Thursday’s event, however, Lafayette and his entourage were treated to lunch at Bay Sire Bistro instead.

The lunch included a reenactment of the 13 customary toasts that Lafayette would have received at the tavern. Attendees were treated to a meal featuring foods that would have been common in the local area in 1825, such as turkey, rockfish, corn, and sweet potato.

Womble spoke during the lunch, thanking the organizers involved in bringing everything together.

“We are now at the midway point of our 13-month, 6,000 mile, 24-state commemoration of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour. It is here at the local level where your dedicated involvement and enthusiasm has resulted in this successful event,” he said.

Womble explained that AFL’s goals for the reenactment tour included celebrating Lafayette’s legacy as a “champion of human rights” and to educate the public about his importance to America’s history.

The event concluded with a talk given by Julien Pierre Icher, founder of the nonprofit Lafayette Trail. He explained why Lafayette was so popular in America, despite being born as a French nobleman.

Icher noted that Lafayette was committed to the democratic principles which were included in America’s founding documents. When Lafayette returned to the United States, the nation was still in its first 50 years and no one was quite sure if the “American experiment” would work out. But Lafayette’s support, he said, gave credence and justification to America’s ideals because he was respected for his time served during the war.

“For the United States, it was a boost of confidence,” Icher said.

Lafayette was committed to equality for all, and Icher pointed to the harsh winter at Valley Forge as just one example of the general’s dedication. Lafayette endured the terrible winter conditions alongside the American soldiers because he believed in what they were fighting for. He didn’t consider himself superior to the Americans, Icher explained.

Icher’s organization tells Lafayette’s story through markers placed throughout the United States, with the goal of keeping Lafayette’s ideals from fading into forgotten history.

“I believe personally the US is a special place, but it’s only a special place as long as the people that live here understand why it’s special. So we all have a duty to pass on the story of the Revolution to future generations,” Icher concluded.