Description
In 1824, President James Monroe invited the last surviving General from the Revolutionary War, the French-born Marquis de Lafayette, to return the United States to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Revolution. Among the 24 states Lafayette visited in over 12 months was Alabama. He spent nine days traveling from the Chattahoochee River, through the Creek Indian Nation along the Federal Road—arguably the first Interstate highway—to Montgomery, then down the Alabama River via the new, fast transportation, the steamboat, to tropical, and formerly French, Mobile, and Gulf Coast forts at Mobile Point.
If after 200 years Lafayette came back and traveled the route again, what would he see? What would be different? What would be the same?
And how would you travel the route today?
Nine Days Traveling is your guide book to Lafayette’s Grand Tour of Alabama, with dozens of maps, more than 50 total
historical sites, and over ninety photographs! Revisit 1825…today!
Bicentennial edition contains updates to the sites since the First Edition, including significant ones to Fort Mitchell, Federal Road, Cahawba, and a new route between Mobile and Mobile Point.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Reviews of Nine Days Traveling
Dr. Lawrence Krumenaker has recently published two books about Lafayette’s travels, one covering Georgia, “From River to River,” and one for Alabama, “Nine Days Traveling.” In these very detailed books, the author writes about and documents the accurate locations where Lafayette actually visited in 1825, including buildings, land routes, and places in the Creek Nation. The books are amazingly detailed and if you really want to know what Lafayette visited or did not visit, these are the books. They are available from Hermograph Press, hermograph.com. — From the August 11, 2024 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, by Kenneth Thomas Jr., columnist
– – – –
‘Nine Days Traveling’…has meticulously traced every step Lafayette took and has written out a plan whereby we can follow the same route, but by car —Don Noble, Tuscaloosa News and Alabama Public Radio, 2021
– – – –
“Those already well-versed in local history might be surprised by the additional details that Krumenaker’s book (Nine Days Traveling) provides….In the end, if you are interested in local history….I highly recommend that you read Krumenaker’s book. I’ve only briefly touched on the wealth of information that you’ll find between its covers. No local history library is complete without a copy of this book.“ – Lee Peacock, Monroe Journal, April 10, 2025.
