“Viva Lafayette!”
With support and additional photography from Rick “Pops” Thomas
Chants rang out on Rudd Avenue on Saturday, May 11th as Portland celebrated the 200th anniversary of The Marquis De Lafayette’s visit to Portland on May 11th, 1825. The day’s celebrations began at Good Shepherd Church. On the corner of Rudd Ave. and Cedar Grove Terrace, beneath the Portland Mooring Rings, a commemorative plaque was unveiled.
Mike King, member of the American Friends of Lafayette, Louisville Thruston Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution led the ceremony.
“I wanted to do something here where I grew up,” he said, setting the scene of 1825, pointing to the Portland Wharf beyond the interstate. He said Lafayette survived a harrowing steamboat accident before his arrival at Missouri (now underwater) and 35th Street, where he was unexpectedly greeted by 3,000 people. He noted how wide streets like Rudd were needed so that the large drays could turn around and travel back downtown.
“There were warehouses with workmen and 50 or more steamboats on the river, along with ferries to New Albany,” he said. “Portland was known as a prosperous and independent, hard-working population. Look around, what a great neighborhood.”
Chuck Schwam, Executive Director of the American Friends of Lafayette, came all the way from Baltimore to attend. He has spent the past three years planning a trip following Lafayette’s journey through the United States in 1825, which lasted 400 days over 6,000 miles and was witnessed by four million people.
“The Marquis de Lafayette was the first rock star!” he said. “90,000 people welcomed him when he arrived in New York City. Only 60,000 people showed We’re here because history is important. Many answers to the future lie in the past. We should celebrate the Franco-American alliance. There were more French troops than those of the United States. And Lafayette was a human rights champion, advocating for women’s rights.”
There was music, speakers and people garbed in period clothing. Afterwards, people were invited to Lehmann Hall for a BBQ lunch provided by The Good Shepherd Men’s Club. Then, the celebration continued on, with the next stop at The Portland Museum. We wish to say a big thank you to Mike King, who organized this event and installed the plaque and the beautiful landscaping on our corner.
