Lafayette Tour Marker, Poughkeepsie, New York (NY-107)

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 came ashore from the steamboat James Kent early on the morning of September 16, 1824. He was greeted by a procession of citizens and militia commanded by General Brush. He was welcomed at the Forbus House, where he met with the village's trustees. The procession commenced at the Poughkeepsie Hotel, where breakfast was served for sixty-five people.

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