Lafayette Tour Marker, Worcester, Massachusetts (MA-119)

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 arrived in Worcester on the morning of Friday, September 3, 1824, traveling westward from Bolton. He was formally welcomed by the citizens of Worcester, who had prepared a large public reception. Worcester’s turnout was significant: civic leaders, militia companies, and veterans of the Revolution, along with large crowds, lined the route.

Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.