Lafayette Returns to Rye: A Grand Celebration & Historical Theatrical Performance
Rye Historical Society Presenting in Partnership with the Rye Free Reading Room and American Friends of Lafayette
Date: August 18th (Sunday)
Time: 2:30pm – 5:45pm
Location: Village Green - Square House Museum, Rye Historical Society & Rye Free Reading Room
Rye, NY – The Rye Historical Society, in partnership with the Rye Free Reading Room and American Friends of Lafayette, proudly presents "Lafayette Returns to Rye," a patriotic celebration commemorating Major General Lafayette’s return tour to America. This monumental Bicentennial event will feature hundreds of activities tracing Lafayette’s footsteps, following the exact dates and order of his 1824-1825 tour as the “Guest of the Nation.”
The American Friends of Lafayette Bicentennial celebration in Rye, NY, will take place on Sunday, August 18th, at the Village Green. This event, part of the National Celebration of Lafayette’s farewell tour, which begins two days earlier in New York City, commemorates Lafayette's historic visit to Penfield's Square House Inn and Tavern, now part of the Rye Historical Society, where he dined with his son George Washington Lafayette during his 1824 tour of New York. The day will be filled with revelry, with a highlight being a reenactment skit led by Douglas Carey of Leaders of Tomorrow. This reenactment will vividly bring Lafayette’s visit to life, making history tangible and engaging for all attendees.
What to Expect: Event Highlights (Tentative Schedule in-formation and Subject to Change):
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm:
Timed Guided Tours of the Square House for the community. Free to the public, but please reserve a spot ahead of time via the Eventbrite page. Please note that tours after 3:30 pm will be reserved for the American Friends of Lafayette.
3:00 pm:
Live Music by Linda Russell on the Village Green starts at 3 pm. Hosted by the Rye Free Reading Room, Linda will present a program bringing the period alive with ballads, broadsides, love songs, marches, drinking songs, dance tunes, and Revolutionary War anthems. She uses instruments such as the guitar, hammered and mountain dulcimers, and penny whistle to bring the 18th and 19th centuries to life. Additionally, Linda will demonstrate the use of the limberjack, a percussive element and traditional folk dancing toy consisting of a wooden figure with loose limbs that dances rhythmically when bounced on a wooden board or paddle.
4:00 pm – 4:15pm:
"Lafayette in Rye: 1824 & 2024" - a historical theatrical performance. Experience the welcoming of Lafayette by the Penfield Inn Keeper at the Square House. Douglas Carey will play Mr. Penfield, with actors reenacting scenes from August 1824 when Lafayette dined at Penfield’s Square House Inn and Tavern with his son Georges Washington Lafayette. This "living history" event includes authentic costuming, music, and performances to replicate what it must have felt like to be there two hundred years ago.
4:15 pm – 5:30 pm: Private Guided Tours of Penfield's Square House Inn and Tavern, reserved and ticketed exclusively for the American Friends of Lafayette during this time. Now part of the Rye Historical Society and serving as a museum, Penfield's Square House Inn and Tavern is one of the few stops from Lafayette’s NY tour that still stands. The earliest part of the house was built in 1730. During the tour, visitors will see:
The Tavern Room: A historical gathering place that served travelers and locals alike.
The Warming Kitchen: A multifunctional room where clothing was washed, candles were made, spinning and weaving took place, and food was prepared and preserved.
Historic Bedrooms: View an example of a bedroom where George Washington stayed twice, as well as the Tavern keeper’s bedroom from colonial times, with objects and archives showcasing how different it was compared to modern accommodations.
4:15 pm – 5:30 pm: Cosplay Experience at the Square House. Step back in time with this interactive exhibit! We offer a variety of period-accurate costumes from 1824 for visitors to don garments like those worn by individuals from the late 1700s and early 1800s, whether as a colonial settler, early American citizen, revolutionary soldier, or 19th-century townsfolk.
Cosplay & Photo Opportunity: Choose from a wide selection of period-accurate costumes that transport you to 1824. Imagine meeting Lafayette in the appropriate attire of the time. Bring your camera to capture the moment for social media.
·Photo Opportunities: Step into history with our fun photo backdrops. Sit at a table set like the one where Lafayette dined at the Square House Inn and Tavern in 1824.; or ring a 1/5 scale replica of the Liberty Bell. Crafted by the renowned Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London—the same forge that cast the original—the replica weighs 20 pounds and stands 15 1/2 inches high, bearing the iconic inscription "Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all inhabitants thereof." Create memorable snapshots of your time-traveling adventure!
Ongoing Throughout the Afternoon:
Explore Historic Downtown Rye Walking Tour: Embark on a journey through Historic Downtown Rye with the Rye Historical Society's self-guided walking tour. We are excited to unveil our new "Walk Downtown Rye" brochure, which will guide explorers along a historical trail featuring signs at various historic sites throughout downtown Rye. These interpretive signs, inspired by those found in national parks, include historical photos and text that explain the history of each location. The tour weaves through the charming streets of downtown Rye and takes about 30 minutes, not including stops at quaint shops, cafes, and more.
Get Locked into history at the Square House: The first Walk History sign in front of the Square House explains that this was the site of Rye’s first village square. It was here that the militia trained for the Revolution, and unhappy culprits were punished in the stocks. To give visitors a firsthand experience, we will have stocks set up for a fun photo opportunity.
Museum Panels: The Rye Free Reading Room will feature panels highlighting Lafayette's significant role in American history, including his triumphant return in 1824.
About Lafayette's 1824 Return Tour
In 1824, President James Monroe invited Lafayette, the last surviving general of the American Revolution and a revered hero, to tour the United States to celebrate the nation's 50th anniversary which turned into a yearlong, 6,000-mile grand tour of the then twenty-four states. . At that time, the country had expanded from the original 13 states to 24. Lafayette left France on July 13, 1824, and landed at Staten Island, NY, on August 15, where he was welcomed with artillery salutes. He received a “rock star’s welcome” on his first visit since helping secure the country’s independence. Upon his arrival in New York Harbor, 80,000 people—nearly 65 percent of New York City’s population at the time—greeted his ship. Traveling with his son, George Washington Lafayette, they stayed at the Manhattan residence of the nation's vice president, Daniel Tompkins.
After spending an eventful week in New York City, Lafayette departed for New England on August 20, 1824, with notable stops including Penfield’s “Square House” Inn & Tavern in Rye, NY. He arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 25 and stayed in the area until August 31, during which he visited former President John Adams. Following his time in Boston, he traveled another 5,800 miles across every state using stagecoaches, horseback, canal barges, and steamboats. The celebrations at each stop were so grand that he often had to travel at night to make progress.
Why was Lafayette's tour a significant part of our country’s 50th anniversary?
· National Symbol of Unity: Lafayette's presence and the enthusiastic receptions he received in various cities across the country served as a powerful symbol of national unity and pride. His tour highlighted the shared history and sacrifices that led to American independence.
· Massive Public Interest: The tour drew enormous crowds and generated widespread public interest. Lafayette was celebrated with parades, banquets, and other public events in each city he visited, underscoring the importance of the anniversary and the nation’s growth since its founding.
· Historical Reflection: Lafayette's visit provided an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their revolutionary heritage and the progress made in the fifty years since independence. It reinforced the values of liberty and democracy that the Revolution sought to establish.
· Diplomatic Significance: The tour also had diplomatic implications, reinforcing the historical alliance between the United States and France and celebrating their joint efforts during the Revolutionary War.
· While other events and activities also marked the 50th anniversary, Lafayette's tour was a central and highly visible part of the celebration, capturing the imagination and participation of Americans across the nation.
About The American Friends of Lafayette
Founded in 1931 at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania to honor the memory of Lafayette, is a national organization with over 1100 members in 35 states. This organization will coordinate the Farewell Tour on the national level. For more information about the national celebration, please visit www.lafayette200.org.
About Rye Historical Society
The Rye Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of the United States through the lens of Rye, NY. Through engaging exhibits, educational programs, and community events, we strive to connect the past with the present and inspire a love for history in people of all ages.
