Lafayette Tour Marker, Williamsburg, Virginia (VA-180)

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 visit to Williamsburg on October 22, 1824, was one of the most ceremonial and symbolically charged stops of his entire Farewell Tour. He arrived directly from the Yorktown anniversary observances (October 19–21) and was welcomed in Williamsburg with large crowds, formal processions, and tributes that emphasized both his Revolutionary War service and his personal ties to the city. He had commanded American troops nearby at the Battle of Green Spring in July 1781.

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