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 was welcomed at Nelson’s Coffee House in Dalton as he traveled eastward from Pittsfield toward Boston. Nelson’s Coffee House—no longer standing—served as a well‑known stagecoach stop and community gathering place.
Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.