Gen. Lafayette rides into Methuen again!

By Yadira Betances Muldoon
MethuenLife Writer

Drivers watched in awe as a horse-drawn carriage crossed busy Route 28 on June 21, heading to Bicentennial Park – the passenger was none other than “Marquis de Lafayette,” AKA Ben Goldman.

Two hundred years before to the day, on June 21, 1825, the real Lafayette visited Methuen where he was greeted by townspeople and a local woman even roasted a pig for him.

This time around, instead of a roasted pig, there was a foam picture of it and a food truck from Thwaites Market offering pork pies. Residents took photos with their cell phones as the carriage pulled into the park adjacent to Nevins Memorial Library.

“My name is Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de LaFayette, but you can call me general for short,” said Goldman to the 70 people who attended the event. “It is indeed my pleasure to receive this warm and hospitable welcome from the citizens of Methuen.”

While in character Goldman, a Lafayette interpreter for 20 years, talked about the general’s involvement in the American Revolutionary War and his subsequent participation in the French Revolution.

Lafayette toured the USA from June 1824 to September 1825 at the invitation of President James Monroe.
Methuen was the last stop Lafayette made in Massachusetts, before heading to New Hampshire.

“His journey was more than ceremonial, it was more of a reminder of the share value of liberty, courage and international friendship,” said At Large City Councilor Nicholas DiZoglio. “Methuen’s connection to Lafayette is a lasting symbol the role even small cities or towns can continue to play in shaping the ideas of tomorrow.”

The anniversary of Lafayette’s visit to Methuen was organized by Joe Bella, vice president of Historic Methuen, previously known as the Methuen Historical Society.

Bella was lauded for his impressive efforts in documenting the city’s history.

“Thank you, Joe Bella, for all of your efforts, for always bringing us together and for truly being the historical leader the City of Methuen needs,” said former City Councilor Jessica Finocchiaro.

A red and white plaque in front of the Methuen Police Station and Quinn Public Safety Building reads “Lafayette’s Tour,” marking the historic event.

WHO WAS LAFAYETTE? To understand the importance of Marquis de Lafayette’s visit, it’s important to know a bit of his story. Lafayette was a 19-year-old Frenchman who had no war experience, yet came from noble military lineage. “Inspired by stories of the colonists’ struggles against British oppression, Lafayette sailed to the newly declared United States in 1777 to join the uprising,” according to Biography.com. “He was initially rebuffed by colonial leaders, but he impressed them with his passion and willingness to serve for free, and was named a major-general in the Continental Army. His first major combat duty came during the September 1777 Battle of Brandywine, when he was shot in the leg while helping to organize a retreat. General George Washington requested doctors to take special care of Lafayette, igniting a strong bond between the two that lasted until Washington’s death.” Lafayette also helped shape France’s political structure, both before and after the French Revolution, and he became known as the “Hero of Two Worlds” for his efforts here and in France. In 1824, nine years before his death, Lafayette began a triumphant “Farewell Tour” of the U.S. In 1825, he stopped in Methuen on his way from Boston to Concord, N.H., accompanied by Boston Mayor Josiah Quincy’s son, Josiah Quincy IV. Residents poured into the streets to watch him ride up what is now Route 28.