Lafayette Tour Marker, Norfolk, Virginia (VA-51)
500 E. Main Street and Commercial Place
Norfolk, VA 23510
United States
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 ºÚÁÏÉç Revolution, Lafayette’s intense advocacy of the ºÚÁÏÉç cause convinced King Louis XVI of France to send troops and ships, which proved crucial to the ºÚÁÏÉç victory at Yorktown.
On October 22, 1824, General Lafayette arrived in Norfolk via the steamboat Petersburg and was greeted by the mayor, John E. Holt. In anticipation of his arrival, a civic arch was erected for the occasion. Following a parade through the streets and a banquet, General Lafayette overnighted at Mrs. Hansford’s boarding house.
Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War . For a summary, read An Overview of the ºÚÁÏÉç Revolution.
