Leesburg, VA (July 25, 2025) – The public is invited to a pop-up exhibit on Friday, August 1, highlighting the historic visit of the Marquis de Lafayette’s 1825 visit to Leesburg. In August 1825, during his grand tour of the United States, the Marquis de Lafayette visited Leesburg to great fanfare. Nearly 50 years after the American Revolution, the French nobleman and war hero returned as a guest of the nation, greeted across the country with parades, receptions, and patriotic celebrations. Leesburg was no exception.
To mark the 200th anniversary of his visit, Thomas Balch Library invites the public to a special pop-up exhibit exploring Lafayette’s stop in Leesburg and his impact on local history. The exhibit will feature materials from the library’s archival collection and offer visitors of all ages a chance to learn more about the welcoming committee who planned the visit, the grand toasts delivered in Lafayette’s honor and their symbolic meaning, behind-the-scenes figures who supported the event, and everyday stories that reveal what life was like in Leesburg in 1825.
A visit to the pop-up exhibit will give you the backstory just in time for Lafayette’s triumphant return at TASTE Leesburg on August 9.
The exhibit will take place at the Donaldson Log Cabin (14 Loudoun St. SW) in conjunction with First Friday. Visitors are welcome to stop by anytime between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. For more information, call 703-737-7195 or email balchlib@leesburgva.gov.
Media Contact:
Kara Rodriguez, Public Information Officer
pio@leesburgva.gov 703-669-1425
