On This Day In Alabama History: Lafayette Arrived In Montgomery

By Graydon Rust Alabama 200

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

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