Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is celebrating the 200th anniversary of General Lafayette’s tour of America. It is part of the American Freinds of Lafayette’s Bicentennial celebration of the 1824-1825 tour by the Marquis. The journey began on August 15th, 2024, and continues until September 9th, 2025.
On September 1st, 1824. General Lafayette visited North Hampton, NH, Hampton, Greenfield, and Portsmouth.
Lafayette (interpreter Ben Goldman) will traverse the Seacoast towns in a horse and buggy, just as he did 200 years before, for a whirlwind tour of Hampton Falls, Hampton, North Hampton, Greenland, and Portsmouth.
Lafayette will return to Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Sunday, September 1, 2024, at 2:30 pm, 200 years to the day after his Farewell Tour visit. As in 1824, he will arrive in a horse-drawn carriage, after making stops in Hampton Falls, Hampton, North Hampton, and Greenland. The General will be greeted at the Langdon House, which served as his headquarters for his
Farewell Tour visit.The ceremonies at Langdon House will include a reenactment of his reception by town
officials, including excerpts from the speech by town father William Ham and Lafayette’s reply.
There will also be a three-gun salute provided by the Sons of the American Revolution. The public is invited to attend and welcome Lafayette on his return to Portsmouth after a 200-year absence.
Portsmouth has planned a series of events to honor the visit, including a dinner.
To mark the anniversary of General Lafayette’s historic visit to Portsmouth on September 1st, 1824, several events are being planned, including a visit to Govenor Langdon’s Mansion just as Lafayette did on that date 200 years ago. Later that evening, a dinner will be held at Strawberry Banke, sponsored by the Friends of Lafayette.
Lafayette will be traveling through 24 states over the next year. You can find all his upcoming appearances and related events here.
