Lafayette Tour Marker, Bordentown, New Jersey (NJ-113)

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 Bordentown was centered on a personal and symbolic visit to Point Breeze, the sprawling estate of Joseph Bonaparte, former King of Spain and Napoleon’s elder brother. Bonaparte had been living in exile in New Jersey for years, and his home had become a cultural and diplomatic hub.

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