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1817 Tour of the Northern StatesSignificance of James Monroe’s 1817 Tour of the Northern StatesOn Sunday June 1, 1817, just three months after his inauguration as fifth president, fifty-nineyear old James Monroe and a small entourage embarked on a tour of the northern states withtwo critical goals: inspection of military defenses and national unity.Inspection of Military DefensesHaving served as President Madison’s Secretary of State during the War of 1812 - andsimultaneously for several months as Secretary of War - Monroe was keenly aware ofthe vulnerability of the country’s coastal fortifications. By reviving George Washington’sprecedent of national tours, Monroe showed his hands-on management style, as well ascultured public support for strengthening military defenses.National UnityMonroe’s decision to first inspect military defenses in the northern states was intentional.New England was largely Federalist, while Monroe‘s political party was DemocraticRepublican. The recent Hartford Convention (December 1814-January 1815) had madeit plain that Federalists in the region were unhappy with the War of 1812 and evenconsidered secession for New England. Monroe was also sensitive to the fact the northernstates had not initially embraced another member of the Virginia Dynasty in the election of1816.American Revolution as UnifierAs a veteran of the American Revolution himself, James Monroe recognized that therevolution was a powerful shared experience he could employ to inspire national unityin the North. He wielded this influence through his dress, speeches and visits to sitesassociated with revolution. On June 29, 1817, the Connecticut Herald reported Monroe’stactic:The dress of the President has been deservedly noticed in other papers for its neatness andRepublican simplicity. He wore a plain blue coat, a buff under dress, and a hat and cockadeof the revolutionary fashion well calculated to excite in the minds of the people, theremembrance of the day which ‘tried men’s souls.’Additionally, Monroe’s choice to celebrate July 4 in Boston and dine with Federalist JohnAdams earned his presidency the accolade “Era of Good Feelings” in Boston’s ColumbianCentinel newspaper.
ImpactThroughout the remainder of his 1817 tour, James Monroe inspired countless receptionsin cities and towns across over 2,000 miles of his tour route. He was the first president toride a steamboat (from Baltimore to Philadelphia) and the first sitting president to travel asfar west as the Michigan territory. He would also make two additional tours: an1818 tourof the Chesapeake and an 1819 tour of the Southern States. Despite the financial Panicof 1819 and impending Missouri Crisis, James Monroe was re-elected unopposed in theelection of 1820 – a testament to his leadership and personal efforts to inspire nationalunity through his tours.Find out more:Ammon, Harry. James Monroe: The Quest for National Identity. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1971.Cunningham, Noble E. The Presidency of James Monroe. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas,1996.Preston, Daniel and Marlena C. DeLong eds. The Papers of James Monroe: A Documentary Historyof the Presidential Tours of 1817, 1818 and 1819. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2002.
1817 Tour of the Northern States2017 Participating Institutions (in geographic order of Monroe’s 1817 tour stops)Fort McHenry Baltimore, MDBiddeford History & Heritage Project Biddeford, MEFort Delaware State Park Delaware City, DESaco Museum Saco, MEFort Mifflin on the Delaware Philadelphia, PAScarborough Historical Society Scarborough, MEHagley Museum and Library Wilmington, DEMaine Historical Society Portland, MEFirst Presbyterian Church Trenton Trenton, NJNew Hampshire Historical Society Concord, NHGateway National Recreation Area (Fort Wadsworth) New Hampshire State House Visitor Center Staten Island, NYConcord, NHNew York Historical Society New York, NYLebanon Historical Society Lebanon, NHNew York City Hall New York, NYNorwich Inn Norwich, VTDepartment of History at West Point West Point, NYNorwich Historical Society Norwich, VTNew Haven Museum New Haven, CTWindsor Historical Society Windsor, VTEli Whitney Museum Hamden, CTWoodstock History Center Woodstock, VTMiddlesex County Historical Society Middletown, CTClinton County Historical Association and Museum Wethersfield Historical Society Wethersfield, CTConnecticut Historical Society Hartford, CTAmerican School for the Deaf West Hartford, CTNew London County Historical Society New London, CTPlattsburgh, NYSt. Lawrence County Historical Association Canton, NYSacketts Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site Sackets Harbor, NYStonington Historical Society Stonington, CTOld Fort Niagara Niagara, NYNewport Historical Society Newport, RIDelaware County Historical Society Delaware, OHLinden Place Bristol, RIPNC Bank - Delaware, OH (built over hotel whereBoston Athenaeum Boston, MAMonroe stayed) Delaware, OHQuincy House Salem, MAWorthington Historical Society Worthington, OHAdams National Historical Park Quincy, MAPickaway County Historical Society Circleville, OHLynn Museum & Historical Society Lynn, MAAdena Mansion Chillicothe, OHMarblehead Museum Marblehead, MAFayette County Historical Society Chillicothe, OHIpswitch Museum Ipswitch, MAMuskingum County Historical Society Zanesville, OHPortsmouth Historical Society Portsmouth, NHSenator John Heinz History Center Pittsburgh, PAFort McClary South Berwick, MEWashington County Historical Society Hagerstown, MD
1817 Tour of the Northern States(Papers of James Monroe, Vol 1: A Documentary History of the Presidential Tours of JamesMonroe, edited by Dan Preston, Greenwood Press, 2002, pg.6)
1817 Tour of the Northern States(Papers of James Monroe, Vol 1: A Documentary History of the Presidential Tours of JamesMonroe, edited by Dan Preston, Greenwood Press, 2002, pg. 7)
1817 Tour of the Northern States(Papers of James Monroe, Vol 1: A Documentary History of the Presidential Tours ofJames Monroe, edited by Dan Preston, Greenwood Press, 2002, pg. 8)
James Monroe: The Quest for National Identity. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1971. Cunningham, Noble E. The Presidency of James Monroe. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996. Preston, Daniel and Marlena C. DeLong eds. The Papers of James Monroe: A Documentary History of the Presidential Tours of 1817, 1818 and 1819. Westport, Connecticut .
