Lafayette in Hampton Roads

Sponsored by American Friends of Lafayette

• Location: Virginia
• Travel Type: Driving/Walking
• Tour Duration: 1 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 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, 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 through the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.

Some of the significant sites you’ll visit in this tour include:

·     Point of Rocks on the York River, where Lafayette arrived, and the nearby British fortification, Redoubt No. 10
·     Yorktown’s surrender site, where the last major engagement of the American Revolution ended in a Franco-American victory
·     The College of William & Mary
·     Green Spring Battlefield
·     Norfolk Naval Shipyard
·     Fort Monroe
·     And much more!

Throughout the tour, you’ll meet some of the most significant players in the war and the founding of the United States, including:
·     Famous Revolutionary War generals and admirals on both the American and British sides
·     Signers of the Declaration of Independence, such as Thomas Jefferson and General Thomas Nelson
·     Emancipated African Americans, such as James (Armistead) Lafayette
·     Some of the country’s earliest presidents and Supreme Court justices

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 North Carolina, Lafayette in New York City, Lafayette in Central Virginia, Battle of Gloucester, 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!