Lafayette Tour Marker, Butler, Pennsylvania (PA-189)

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 Butler after visiting Pittsburgh on June 1, 1825, where a village of about 500 people—alerted only the day before—turned out in full celebration to welcome the last surviving major general of the American Revolution. After a warm welcome and meal at Mechling's Inn, he left for Mercer, Pennsylvania.

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