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 Marietta on May 23, 1825, aboard the steamer Herald, marking his third and final stop in Ohio during the Farewell Tour, and the town welcomed him with major public ceremonies. He stayed overnight at Nahum Ward's residence and departed the following morning for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ward was an investor in the Ohio Land Company and the founder of the Unitarian Church of Marietta.
Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.