Retired attorney, former President of the Lafayette chapter of the Sons of the Revolution, and all around General Lafayette expert Dale Henley sits down with David to talk about the Marquis de Lafayette and his visit to Lexington in 1825. They talk about Lafayette’s background, from joining the Musketeers at the age of thirteen to defying the French King and sailing to the American colonies to advance the cause of liberty at just nineteen years old. Dale shares book recommendations for learning more about Lafayette’s role in the Revolutionary War, his abolitionist views, and his 1825 visit on the invitation of President Monroe. He also tells us about the events in Lexington in May 2025 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s visit.
The opening music for this episode is the “Brandywine Quickstep” named for Brandywine, Pennsylvania where Lafayette took part in his first battle of the revolution and was subsequently wounded. The recording is by the United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and is in the public domain.
Tales from the Kentucky Room is hosted by David Bryant and produced by Erin West.
David is the Manager of Central Library, and has worked many years in the Kentucky Room. After several guest host spots, David moved to full time host of Tales from the Kentucky Room in 2025. Local History and Genealogy are passions of his, and he's excited to share them with our audience.
Erin is the Virtual Services Librarian. She's worked for Lexington Public Library since 2003 and began her work with audio editing in 2012 while working at the Northside Branch. Erin enjoys listening to history, true crime and tv show recap podcasts.
