Submitted Photo From left are Julien Ischer, founder of The Lafayette Trail, Inc.; Patrice Birner, New York State NSDAR; Max Walters, Curator Darwin Barker Museum, Fredonia,; with the marker.

The Benjamin Prescott Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the Revolution hosted a reception with ice tea and cookies at the Darwin Barker Museum to celebrate the placement of the last Lafayette Trail Marker.

Julien Icher, the founder of the Lafayette Trail, Inc. embarked on a mission to celebrate General Lafayette’s contributions to the founding of the United States by retracing his 1825 trip through the new America. Several officials and members of New York Chapters of the National Society of the American Revolution attended the dedication as well as many local historians and interested citizens.

The marker was formally presented and dedicated at the Darwin Barker Museum by the Lafayette Trail, Inc., the Pomeroy Foundation and the New York State National Society of the Daughters of the Revolution. This is the last marker sponsored and partially funded by New York NSDAR in conjunction with the Pomeroy Foundation in the New York State series. Julien Icher, founder of The Lafayette Trail, Inc., and Patrice Birner officially finished several years of fundraising with the dedication of this marker. This endeavor was Birner’s Regent’s Project at the New York state NSDAR. She is now Vice President General state NSDAR and is finally able to complete her project. Everyone worked tirelessly to make the Lafayette Trail a success.

Another grand surprise is the newest addition to the Barker Museum. The chair that Lafayette sat in to eat his meal at the Abell Tavern in Fredonia on June 4, 1825, has returned to Fredonia. If you get a chance, visit Max Walters at the museum and see the chair. It may not be as expected.

The entire trail will be retraveled beginning in August 2024 to 2025 on the 200th anniversary of the original expedition. This journey was 6,000 miles and visited all 24 states of the then United States. This final Lafayette Trail Marker can be seen next to the Barker Museum in Fredonia, New York. The tour will be in Fredonia on June 4, 2025.