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 reached Auburn on June 8, 1825, where he was formally welcomed at Hudson’s Hotel, also known as the Western Exchange Hotel on Genesee Street. Local Masons played a major role in the ceremony. Revolutionary War veterans, militia units in full uniform, and townspeople formed a procession through the village.
Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.