Norwalk

Lafayette in Norwalk

Friday, August 20th, 1824, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM  

Dusk was descending on Norwalk at eight o’clock on Friday evening, August 20^th, 1824, when Lafayette’s cavalcade rolled into town, escorted by Connecticut Troops. Forty-five years had passed since the town of Norwalk was burned by the British in 1779 and many of the citizens of Norwalk well remembered that terrible day. So, it was with overwhelming joy that crowds lined the streets to welcome one of the heroes who had liberated their country from the British during the Revolutionary War.    

As Lafayette had been expected to arrive at about eleven o’clock that morning, the town was filled for most of the day with Norwalk residents and people from the surrounding towns who anxiously awaited the arrival of the General. Finally, at eight o’clock in the evening, a blast of muskets was heard from “the heights” as church and school bells began to ring announcing the approach of Lafayette.      

As the procession made its way through the town, two companies of uniformed militia saluted him as he passed, and a band welcomed him with some popular tunes. The General’s open barouche reached the Norwalk Hotel where the hero was met by several Revolutionary War veterans who shook his hand and exchanged memories of passed trials and endurances. Amongst the veterans were Captain Gibbs, a seventy-year-old Norwalk resident and Captain Stephen Betts, a sixty-eight-year-old resident of New Canaan who had been wounded at Yorktown. 

The Norwalk Hotel, run by Horace Cooke and his family, was situated at what is now 64 Wall Street on the NW corner of Wall and River Streets. Here Lafayette was escorted into the building and greeted by a crowd of well wishers and introduced to local officials. The reception lasted until about nine o’clock, until the Marquis departed the hotel and, because of the late hour, climbed into a closed carriage.  A newspaper reported that “as the gallant Frenchman left the hotel, he took the little daughter of the proprietor in his arms and kissed her.” 

Leaving Norwalk, the carriage passed under an arch that was formed across the bridge over the Norwalk River. On one side of the arch was an American Flag and on the other a French Flag. Across the arch, in large letters were the words, “Welcome La Fayette.” His closed coach then carried him across the bridge up Mill Hill, around the Green, and onto the Post Road towards Westport.