Lafayette Tour Marker, Hampton Falls, New Hampshire (NH-127)

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 traveled through a sequence of New Hampshire coastal towns on September 1, 1824, including Hampton Falls, Hampton, North Hampton, Greenland, and Portsmouth. This stop was part of the larger Seacoast welcome, which culminated in a major reception in Portsmouth later that afternoon. Lafayette was welcomed in Hampton Falls and introduced to the Portsmouth Committee of Arrangements, reflecting the town’s role as a handoff point between local committees managing his movements.

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