The Frenchman, who may be the original American superhero, returns to New Hampshire this weekend to mark the bicentennial of his farewell tour of the United States.
The Marquis de Lafayette, portrayed by interpreter Ben Goldman, will arrive in Hampton Falls by horse and carriage early Sunday morning, just as he did two centuries earlier on the morning of September 1, 1824. On Sunday, he will stop in Hampton, Greenland and Portsmouth for a hero’s welcome that you can help organize.
2024 marks the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette, one of our young country’s best friends, returning to the United States from his native France in 1824 for a farewell tour. He returned to reunite with all those he had worked with, fought alongside, and befriended during America’s struggle for freedom. On that tour, he was named “Guest of the Nation” and was the star of the town wherever he went. He was hailed as a hero with parades and parties and treated like an A-list celebrity by a country that is still so grateful to the Frenchman for his role in its Revolutionary War victory.
When does Lafayette arrive?
On Sunday morning, September 1, Lafayette will arrive at Hampton Falls Town Common in a horse-drawn carriage at 9 a.m. before a flag-waving crowd.
An outdoor tea party, “Tea with the Marquis,” begins at 8 a.m. on the Common as residents await Lafayette’s arrival. The party commemorates the morning tea Lafayette enjoyed at the historic Governor Weare House on this day in 1824. Croissants, jam, and Harney & Sons Paris tea will be served on the town’s vintage Grange china. This event is free, but space is limited and can be reserved on Eventbrite.
At 8:45 a.m., the city’s official program begins, including a dedication ceremony for the city’s new Lafayette Trail sign, donated by Lafayette Trail Inc., a nonprofit organization that has installed historic signposts in recent years along the route Lafayette took for his farewell tour, and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
Lafayette will then address the crowd. A proclamation will be read declaring September 1st as Lafayette Day in Hampton Falls. The New Hampshire Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard will salute Lafayette with three volleys. Those in attendance can greet Lafayette after the ceremony and have their photo taken with him.
The ceremony is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the rear parking lot of Lincoln Akerman School. There is no parking along the Town Common.
The Hampton Falls Free Library and Hampton Falls Historical Society have partnered with the American Friends of Lafayette for the event. The library will host a lecture by Alan Hoffman on “Lafayette and Human Rights” in advance of the farewell tour visit on Wednesday, August 28 at 6:30 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public, but advance reservations are required at tickettailor.com/events/hamptonfallsfreelibrary/1312889.
How will Hampton welcome Lafayette?
Lafayette’s next stop is Hampton’s Meetinghouse Green. After his carriage drives through Founders Park to greet well-wishers, the Hampton Historical Society will host a Jubilee of Liberty celebration from 9:30 to 11 a.m., featuring French coffee and pastries. The New Hampshire Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard will again salute the Marquis. The event is free and open to the public.
Hampton’s celebration of this historic event included a book show at the Lane Memorial Library and a Lafayette exhibit at the Tuck Museum. On September 18, the historical society and library will present “President John Adams” for an evening of history and entertainment that will include information about the friendship between Adams and Lafayette.
Greenland is Lafayette’s third stop on the coast on September 1
Greenland will welcome Lafayette to its Parade Common on Sunday. The Greenland Historical Society will provide socializing, food and music in the pavilion beginning at noon. At 12:30 p.m., attendees will move along Church Lane near the Community Congregational Church. Lafayette is expected to arrive around 12:50 p.m., accompanied by the New Hampshire Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard.
After the greeting, Lafayette walks to the steps of 480 Portsmouth Avenue, which was already operating as a tavern in 1675. In 1824, Lafayette stopped at the tavern during his farewell tour.
How will Portsmouth celebrate Lafayette?
Lafayette will arrive in his horse-drawn carriage at the John Langdon House on Pleasant Street in Portsmouth at 2:30 p.m. There will be welcoming speeches and Lafayette will speak in the gazebo behind the Langdon House. The New Hampshire Sons of the American Revolution will again accompany him and fire a three-gun salute.
Lafayette will then speak about his role in the American Revolution and answer questions from those present.
A banquet in his honor will be held at 5 p.m. at the Strawbery Banke Visitors Center, with Lafayette mingling with guests. Peter Reilly of the American Friends of Lafayette will give a talk titled “Lafayette as Superhero: The Farewell Tour in Context.” Afterward, attendees will toast Lafayette, and there will be a prize for the best toast. Tickets for the dinner are $100 and include admission to three historic homes – the Langdon House, the Warner House and the John Paul Jones House for the weekend. Reserve tickets in advance at friendsoflafayette.wildapricot.org/event-5792542.
Who was the Marquis de Lafayette?
The Marquis de Lafayette was born Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier in southern France in 1757, according to American Friends of Lafayette. While Lafayette was fighting against the British in the Seven Years’ War, his father was killed in service in Germany when he was 2 years old. When he was 13, his mother died and he decided to pursue a military education and career, joining the King’s Musketeers. Later that year, he inherited his maternal grandfather’s fortune and became one of Europe’s richest aristocrats.
He continued to pursue his military career and was on maneuvers in France when he met the Duke of Gloucester, brother of King George III, who told him all about Britain’s fight against the rebellious colonists of America. Inspired by the American revolutionaries and their fight for freedom, he decided to volunteer in the American Army. At 19, he was appointed major general in the Continental Army, serving without pay and funding some of the army’s efforts from his own fortune, including purchasing his own ship. He soon met George Washington, the army’s commander-in-chief, and they became lifelong friends. He was the youngest general to serve on either side of the Revolutionary War, and he served until its end, being wounded in battle and repeatedly assuming key leadership roles, thus emerging as a hero. He also became a hero of the French Revolution.
How long does Lafayette’s 200-year farewell tour last?
The 2024 farewell tour began in New York City with a kickoff weekend Aug. 15-18. The tour will visit 24 states and travel 6,000 miles in 13 months and has inspired hundreds of commemorative events. It will continue through June 2025, when Lafayette returns to New Hampshire, just as he did during his tour 200 years ago. This second New Hampshire leg of the tour, June 21-28, will trace his visits to the state’s southern cities from Salem to Concord, and to cities east and west of Concord from Dover to Claremont and Cornish. Lafayette’s official 2025 welcome will be June 22 in Concord.
Follow Lafayette’s tour of New Hampshire in 1824 anytime
You can listen to an audio and video trail of Lafayette’s farewell tour of New Hampshire (and everywhere he went in the U.S.) at lafayette200.org. There you can also download the free TravelStorys app and ride the trail. The app displays audio, text and images as you approach each story location along the trail.
Where can I get more information about Lafayette’s farewell tour?
Visit the American Friends of Lafayette website at friendsoflafayette.wildapricot.org and the Bicentennial of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour website at lafayette200.org.
