President James Monroe invited the Marquis de Lafayette to visit the United States, his adopted country. Lafayette’s tour of all 24 states in 1824 and 1825 drew large crowds and sparked a renewal of patriotism. During the American Revolution, Lafayette’s intense advocacy of the American cause convinced King Louis XVI of France to send troops and ships, which proved crucial to the American victory at Yorktown.
Lafayette’s stop in Branford on August 21, 1824, was brief but warmly remembered, one of the earliest Connecticut appearances on his triumphant 1824–25 Farewell Tour. Lafayette’s carriage halted near the churches on the green. Local dignitaries stepped forward to greet him, and townspeople pressed close to shake his hand—something he made a point of doing at nearly every stop.
Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.