Lafayette Tour Marker, East Hartford, Connecticut (CT-145)

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. 

The morning of Saturday, September 4, 1824, Lafayette was traveling westward across Connecticut. He had spent the early part of the morning in Vernon. Arriving in East Hartford, he was escorted directly to Phelps’ Hotel, a well‑known stopping point on the main road leading into Hartford. The American Mercury describes this as a short visit, suggesting a ceremonial greeting rather than a prolonged reception.

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