This is part of a series on Lafayette’s visit to Massachusetts August 23, 1824 to September 3 1824.
The town of West Cambridge mentioned in the contemporary accounts was renamed Arlington on April 30, 1867. Before 1807 it had been Menotmy, Most accounts indicate that the change to Arlington was in honor of those buried in Arlington VA as a result of the events in the Late Unpleasantness.
After departing his Boston home away from home Lafayette crossed over Cragie’s bridge to Lechmere Point and then on to West Cambridge. Artillery corps stationed on the hills announced his passage. The citizens and children of West Cambridge were in front of the Meeting-House and welcomed and cheered him. Two beautiful arches were thrown across the road.
The inscription on one of the arches was “Welcome! Friend of Washington! Fayette! Fair Freedom’s champion!”
In 1913 Arlington held a historical pageant to dedicate a new town hall. Episode VI was Lafayette’s visit. Over 600 people took an active part in the pageant and there were over 5,000 in the audience.
Someone has told me that that looks an awful lot like the Eustis carriage that is preserved today at the Shirley Eustis house
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For information on the bicentennial of Lafayette’s tour check out lafayette200.org.