The arrival of a re-enactor posing as American Revolutionary War hero Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette in Gap promises to be a well-attended event. The re-enactor is following the path that Lafayette took when he completed a farewell tour in 1824-25, and he will be visiting the places Lafayette stopped at on the dates that correspond to Lafayette's journey.

Brett Snyder, vice president of the Historical Society of Salisbury Township (HSST), reported that when the real Lafayette arrived at the Mount Vernon Inn, which once stood at the top of Gap Hill near the Chester County and Lancaster County line, 1,000 people were waiting to see him. "He was like a rock star," stated Snyder.

To celebrate the arrival of the re-enactor, HSST commissioned a painting, which has now been completed by artist Christopher Lanser of Narvon. The framed painting will be available for viewing at the annual Living History Day and Lafayette Day on Saturday, July 26, at White Chimneys, 5117 Lincoln Highway, Gap, beginning at 10 a.m. The day will feature Civil War re-enactments, house tours, open-hearth cooking, food trucks, and more. More information about the event may be found by searching for "White Chimneys" on Facebook and clicking on the "Living History Celebration" tab. A High Tea for General Lafayette will be held from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 27, at White Chimneys. The painting will be auctioned off directly following the High Tea. Funds raised from the sale of the painting will benefit HSST. More information may be found at https://lafayette200.org.

Lafayette was not yet 20 when he came to America from France in 1777 with some military training and a passion for equality. The teenager offered his services and resources to the Americans, becoming a major general at the tender age of 19. Lafayette eventually convinced the French government to join in the war effort by sending the French Navy to America's aid. After the war, he returned to France, where he became involved in the French Revolution. At the age of 66, he returned to the United States and spent 13 months traveling 6,000 miles and visiting each of the 24 states in existence at the time.

HSST president Leona Baker felt it was necessary to have a painting to commemorate the event, and she remembered Lanser, who had given a presentation to HSST that included some of his paintings. "We had knowledge of the fact that when Lafayette came back in 1825, he stopped near the Mount Vernon Inn before he came to White Chimneys and moved on to Lancaster," reported Baker, who worked with Lanser to develop the idea for the painting. Baker pointed out that in the completed piece, the Mount Vernon Inn is in the background on the hill. In the foreground, Lafayette is reviewing his former regiment. Route 30 - then known as the Lincoln Highway - runs through the right side of the painting.

Lanser pointed out some of the details in the painting that he added, including a Conestoga wagon. "It's so Lancaster County," he noted. There is also a carriage similar to what Lafayette would have traveled in that was suggested by Baker. Lanser painted a replica of the French flag at the time of the event hanging on the Mount Vernon Inn. He also included the American flag, the Pennsylvania state flag, and the flag of the regiment from southern Lancaster County that stands before Lafayette for review. Lanser made sure to feature a few older soldiers - one with a wooden leg - and a few African American gentlemen. He pointed out that African Americans were among the soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War. He also added a bald eagle in the sky. A young boy in uniform stands in front of the regiment and salutes Lafayette. "I added the little fellow for a bit of whimsey," stated Lanser, who first took up the art of painting in 2006. "It's the best job I've ever had," he noted. Lanser is now retired after teaching history at Conestoga Christian School for a number of years. "I love history," he added.

A nationwide organization called Friends of Lafayette is organizing and publicizing events. More information, including videos; a schedule of events; tickets; and educational resources for libraries, schools, and homeschoolers, may be found at https://lafayette200pa.org.

HSST has been in existence for 25 years. The organization meets each year from September through May at the Salisbury Township Building, 5581 Old Philadelphia Pike, Gap, on the third Thursday at 7 p.m. The next HSST meeting, which will be open to the public, will be a potluck picnic on Thursday, June 19, at 6 p.m. in the Salisbury Township Park in Gap. Readers who would like more information about HSST may call 717-442-4071.