Lafayette Tour Marker, Palmyra, Virginia (VA-131)

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’s stop in Palmyra on November 3, 1824, was a brief ceremonial passage through the Fluvanna County seat, where local residents gathered to greet him as he traveled from Richmond toward Monticello. He stayed overnight and departed in the morning for Monticello.

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