Lafayette Township Grant
N 30° 27.205 W 084° 16.621
16R E 761471 N 3372179
A gift from a grateful nation.
Waymark Code: WM9FPP
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 08/14/2010
Views: 22
This marker is on the western boundary line of the land selected by Major General the Marquis de Lafayette and granted by the United States Congress to him in 1825 in appreciation of his services during the Revolutionary War. The grant contains 36 square miles.
From the Lafayette Park Neighborhood website: "In 1824 President James Monroe approved an act of Congress granting the Marquis de Lafayette a township of land in any of the United States public domains for his services in the American Revolutionary War. An experienced land surveyor from Georgia was chosen as Lafayette’s surveyor and Lafayette decided on land in the territory of Florida where “rapidly rising land values were foreseen” which was 36 square miles in what is now Leon County.
"Prompted by financial pressures caused by France’s revolutionary war, General Lafayette sold twenty six and three quarters sections of this land (17,120 acres) on November 18, 1833 for $46, 520. Lafayette died on May 20, 1834, never having seen the land grant, and ownership of his remaining six and three quarters sections of land was transferred to his heirs who lived in France. By 1855, the Lafayette family had sold all of their interest in the original land grant to various individuals."
Interestingly, the State of Florida has three historical markers (all now reported missing) for the eastern, northern and southern boundaries of this land grant. However, this marker commemorating the western boundary was donated by the City of Tallahassee.
Marker Number: None
Date: None
County: Leon
Marker Type: Roadside
Sponsored or placed by: Donated by the City of Tallahassee
Website: Not listed
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