Lafayette Tour Marker, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PA-63)

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 had convinced French King Louis XVI to send troops and ships, which proved crucial to the American victory at Yorktown. 

Lafayette was received at the estate of Benjamin Chew Jr., son of the former Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, on July 20, 1825. The Chew House had been a pivotal site during the 1777 Battle of Germantown, making Lafayette’s visit deeply symbolic. Lafayette enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast at Cliveden before continuing on to Mount Airy later that day.

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