Columbia County History Events

Lafayette in Hudson! Confusion, Jealousy and One Glass of Wine

By Joseph Ferris and Gary Sheffer

What happens when you plan an 1824 equivalent of a ticker-tape parade for a famous war hero but neighboring communities have similar plans on the same day? On Thursday, November 7, 6-7:30pm, at the Hudson Area Library, Library Trustees Joseph Ferris and Gary Sheffer will explore this question 200 years after Revolutionary War hero General Marquis de Lafayette visited Hudson during his triumphant tour of America. They will further discuss the Frenchman's frenzied time in Hudson, including how it was tied to local and national politics, including an allegedly "stolen" presidential election.

After learning about the American revolutionaries’ ideals of equality, the Marquis de Lafayette became a general in the Continental Army and distinguished himself in battle. He was a key figure in the French Revolution in 1789 and drafted the Declaration of the Rights of Man. In 1824, he was invited to tour all 24 states in celebration of the 50th anniversary of our country.

There have been many events this year commemorating the Bicentennial of Lafayette’s return to America as the “Guest of the Nation” in cities from New York to Baltimore to New Orleans but this is the only event detailing his time in Hudson. As Anna Bradbury writes in A History of the City of Hudson: “Lafayette met with a reception the most heartfelt and joyous ever bestowed upon man…He was conducted to an elegant carriage drawn by four black horses,...through all the principal streets, which were literally choked with people…Arches of evergreens and flowers were erected at various points, bearing inscriptions of welcome, and that at the head of Warren street was surmounted by a colossal figure of the Goddess of Liberty, bearing in her hand the Stars and Stripes.”

Joseph Ferris is a Hudson Area Library Trustee. Originally from Brooklyn and Vermont, he has had a lifelong fascination with history topics that run the gamut from the Iroquois Confederacy and the Titanic to baseball and the Homestead Strikes. Joseph's background is in political communications and public affairs advocacy. Having moved to Hudson a few years ago, he has begun researching the stories behind the historical markers that dot the county. In his free time, he can be found biking around the Hudson Valley.

Gary Sheffer is a library trustee and member of its History Room Committee. He has worked in journalism, communications, and education for more than 40 years. Gary grew up in Hudson and now lives in Livingston with his wife, Barbara. His last History Room talk was on the General Worth Hotel in Hudson.

The Hudson Area Library History Room houses a collection that pertains to the history of the City of Hudson, Greenport and Stockport; as well as Columbia County and New York State. The History Room also hosts the Local History Speaker Series at the library, offering free monthly talks on diverse topics related to local history.