In 1824, the US Government commissioned this carriage for the return tour of Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette had been a General in the Revolutionary War and was a close friend of George Washington. The carriage represents the highest achievement in carriage making of that era. Fold down steps allow for easy passenger access. Originally, the color of the seats matched the blue color of the 1824 Army uniform trousers. Clement Studebaker acquired the carriage in 1892 and displayed it as a monument to past carriage makers.