Lafayette Tour Marker, Williston, Vermont (VT-164)

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 was traveling from Windsor, Vermont, through Montpelier, where he had addressed the First State House (today’s Vermont Supreme Court) the day before. Williston Road, now U.S. Route 2, follows the historic roadway, so it’s likely the entourage passed this way. The marker stands on a public green, next to the statue of Thomas Chittenden, the first governor of Vermont. 

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