Lafayette in Central Virginia

Sponsored by American Friends of Lafayette

• Location: Virginia
• Travel Type: Driving
• Tour Duration: 1.5 hour
• Language:

About This Tour
More than four decades after the American Revolution, one of its most celebrated heroes, Major General Lafayette, traveled from his French homeland to visit the United States one last time. Millions of Americans flocked to see him during his Farewell Tour of all 24 of the young country’s existing states, plus Washington, D.C., which was called Washington City then.

Why was General Lafayette greeted like a nineteenth-century rock star throughout the country? Was it his heroic feats in battle and diplomatic successes during the war? His close relationship with George Washington? Or his open and deeply felt commitment to liberty and the “rights of man” — all men and women, including those still held in bondage in this country?

This mobile audio tour explores these questions while following in the footsteps of this fascinating historical icon as he visits his good friends Chief Justice John Marshall and presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, as well as countless fellow Revolutionary War veterans, their families and communities. The tour features 17 stories about the places Lafayette visited in Central Virginia during his Farewell Tour, including:

·   Richmond
·   Petersburg
·   Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
·   University of Virginia
·   Montpelier
·   Orange
·   Fredericksburg
·   And much more!

Other Tour Highlights
This audio tour brings the Virginia of the 1820s to life, exploring the issues and trends of the day as Lafayette encountered them during his visit, such as:

·   America’s continued mourning of George Washington and celebration of his achievements
·   The vitriolic presidential campaign of 1824
·   America’s new experiment of self-governance under a “free constitution”
·   The importance of religious freedom and tolerance, and the influences of various religions and philosophies on the country’s founders, from Christianity to Deism and Freemasonry
·   The early decisions of the Supreme Court that shaped the judicial contours of the American republic
·   The fight for human rights, including the abolition of slavery

Created by historians who are dedicated to preserving Lafayette’s legacy, this mobile audio tour will ignite your own passion for the history of the United States and the ideals upon which it was built.
 
Tour Sponsor
This tour is brought to you by the American Friends of Lafayette (AFL), an historical and patriotic society whose purpose is to educate the public about the life and career of General Lafayette through educational programs, publications, lectures, and commemorative events.

The AFL intends to commemorate Lafayette’s Farewell Tour by holding events 200 years to the day after his 1824 and 1825 visits, at the same places where he stopped.
 
Find More Tours Near You
If you are interested in more audio tours about Lafayette and the American Revolution, you’ll enjoy Lafayette in Hampton Roads, Lafayette in North Carolina, Lafayette in New York City, Revolution on the Hudson, and Ten Crucial Days. To find more tours in Virginia — or wherever your travels may take you — visit TravelStorys.com. Every place has a story!