Lafayette Tour Marker, Fayetteville, North Carolina (NC-139)

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 March 5, 1825, General Lafayette was formally received at Phoenix Lodge No. 8 in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he dined with the Masons, was addressed by Worshipful Master Robert Strange, and participated in a ceremonial gathering honoring his lifelong ties to Freemasonry. Lafayette was formally received at Phoenix Lodge No. 8 and participated in a ceremonial gathering honoring his lifelong ties to Freemasonry. The ornate chair he used remained the lodge’s Master’s chair until 1949, after which it was retired to the lodge archives.

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