In Lafayette Square, the centerpiece of LaGrange, it is still the 1890s. As I walked the entirety of the red-brick circular pathway around the square and admired the massive fountain jetting thousands of gallons of crystal-clear water toward the bluest of skies, myriad crepe myrtles and roses provided showy pinks, reds and purples to complement my stroll. The square, at the heart of LaGrange’s historic district, pays homage to Gilbert du Mortier, better known as the Marquis de Lafayette, the French nobleman and diplomat who fought in the American Revolution.
LaGrange, at its heart a small town with a population of about 32,000 and in the rolling hills of Georgia’s Piedmont about an hour’s drive southwest of Atlanta, is named for Château de la Grange-Bléneau, the ancestral estate of Lafayette’s wife, Marie Adrienne de Noailles. When Lafayette visited Georgia, he remarked the landscape was similar to the countryside surrounding the chateau. Call it the French connection.
Lafayette Square enhances LaGrange’s small-town architecture with boutiques, restaurants and businesses that face the park from all sides. The historic buildings, constructed from 1828 until 1957, make Lafayette Square undoubtedly one of the most picturesque and charming squares in Georgia. Self-guided and guided tours are a must-do, with maps available at LaGrange Visitor Center just steps from the square.
Plenty of attractions dot LaGrange, including, for shoppers, the Marketplace at Lafayette S.