Lafayette Tour Marker, Claysville, Pennsylvania (PA-197)

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 May 25, 1825, General Lafayette was travelling on the new national road (today's Rt. 40) from Wheeling, Ohio to Washington, Pennsylvania. He was escorted to the state line by a cavalcade from Wheeling and met by the Washington Committee of Arrangements. The Committee then escorted him in a barouche, followed by multiple carriages carrying the Ohio Governor, Lafayette’s son, and other notable figures. The group travelled towards Washington and stopped in Claysville for refreshments. They were met there by a detachment of cavalry sent to escort them the rest of the way to Washington, where they arrived that evening.

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