April 3, 1825

The Marquis de Lafayette, the last surviving general of the Revolutionary War, arrived in Montgomery as part of his grand tour of the United States. The French general entered the city to serenades of bugles and French horns and was greeted by Gov. Israel Pickens and a crowd of 3,000 people on Goat Hill, now the site of the state Capitol. The next night, Lafayette’s party enjoyed a public dinner and a ball before boarding two steamboats that would carry them down the Alabama River for the remainder of their stops in the state. Lafayette’s visit generated enthusiasm and excitement among Alabamians, but also caused a heavy financial strain for the newly formed state with a total cost of $17,000, more than existed in the treasury.

Read more at Encyclopedia of Alabama.

Portrait of Marquis de Lafayette, 18th century. (Engraving by Simon Charles Miger, Wikipedia)

Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, was an ally of Gen. George Washington during the American Revolution and toured the United States, including Alabama, in 1825 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Revolution. He is shown in his French military uniform in this 1791 painting by Joseph-Désiré Court. (Encyclopedia of Alabama)

Washington and Lafayette. (Wikipedia)

Statue of Lafayette, Washington, D.C., 1900. (H.C. White Co., Publishers, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division)

For more on Alabama’s Bicentennial, visit Alabama 200.