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.
On June 24, 1825, Lafayette arrived in Biddeford en route to Portland and stayed overnight at Spring’s Tavern, a well-known local establishment where he was "entertained in a manner that reflects much credit on its hospitable owner and spoke well of the taste and elegance of those who presided at the board." He entered the town through a covered bridge, decorated with an arch bearing the sign "Welcome Lafayette." On his return south on June 26 from Portland, he again "breakfasted at Spring’s Tavern on Spring Island, visited Colonel Isaac Emery, and attended divine service at Rev. Mr. Tracy’s meeting-house on Crescent Street." Spring's Tavern was constructed in 1798 by Captain Seth Spring (veteran of the Battle of Bunker Hill) and was a popular stop for travelers on the King's Highway.
Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.