There are currently only four original sites still standing where the Marquis de Lafayette visited on his 1825 farewell tour of the United States.
The Cellar in Enfield is one of them.
Preparations are being made to commemorate the 200th anniversary of his tour of America.
Embracing the ideals of the American Revolution, Lafayette served in the Continental Army under George Washington.
The American Friends of Lafayette, a national organization sponsoring a year-long series of reenactments of the general’s triumphant U.S. visit, is partnering with local historical organizations to host these reenactments at the sites he originally visited.
Lafayette, portrayed by Samuel Powell and dressed as the general, will arrive in Enfield at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 28.
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He will be welcomed by a reenactor portraying Joseph Branch at The Cellar, 404 Sherrod Heights in Enfield.
The public is invited to this welcome ceremony and are encouraged to tour the house, listen to the music, have refreshments, and review the displays.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet the general and ask questions. This is a free event. The Cellar, a protected national historic site since 1979, is owned and occupied by the Doran family.
The Cellar, one of the original sites still standing, was the home of Lieutenant-Colonel John Branch Sr., who fought in the American Revolution alongside Lafayette.
In 1806, he left his 600-acre estate to his son, Joseph, whose brother, John Branch Jr., was a congressman, a governor of North Carolina, governor of the Florida territories, a U.S. senator and eventually Secretary of the Navy under Andrew Jackson.
One of the most prominent politicians of his time, John Branch Jr., is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Enfield.
By the time Lafayette returned to the U.S. in 1825, John Branch Jr. was serving as a U.S. Senator, so Joseph entertained Lafayette at The Cellar on February 28 of that year.
John Jr.’s daughter, Martha, played the piano at the Cellar for Lafayette.
It is reported that Lafayette spoke to a large crowd from the second-story balcony of the home. As was common at the time, a visit by Lafayette was one of the most momentous events to occur in towns — large and small.
The Enfield visit comes a day after Lafayette crosses the Ronaoke River to visit Historic Halifax.
The Enfield Executive Committee — Larry Perkins, Dennis Doran, Suzann Anderson, Wayne Anderson and Larry Armstrong — along with the subcommittee, Julia Andrus, Kitty Turner, Andrew Doran, Sally Griffin, Bobby Whitaker, Brenda Greene, Susanna Martin, Mike Redic, Ann Newbern, Jerome Battle, Wanda and Phil Sykes and Andrew Wirtz — will meet on January 20 to continue planning the reenactment.
