Leavenworth County, KS
Somewhere in the vicinity of present day Salt Creek Valley northeast of Leavenworth, the French operated a fur trading post for possibly a score of years in the mid-1700's. This was the earliest white settlement of the region.
In 1827, Colonel Henry Leavenworth founded Fort Leavenworth on the bluffs of the Missouri River. For the next several decades Fort Leavenworth played an important role in keeping the peace among the various Indian tribes and the increasing number of settlers heading west. By the 1840's, travel to Oregon and California had begun and thousands of wagons passed through Fort Leavenworth on the way to the Santa Fe and Oregon Trail.
In 1854, the City of Leavenworth was founded as the very first city of Kansas.
In 1858, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth settled here. In 1864, the Sisters opened St. John's Hospital and in 1923 founded St. Mary College.
In 1863, the legislature passed an act to erect the Kansas St. Penitentiary on a site which is now located within the city of Lansing. The contract to build the prison was let in 1863 and work started in 1864. However, because of money difficulties connected with the Civil War, work stopped in 1864 and did not resume again until 1866. The building was first occupied in 1868.
In 1878, Lansing was platted into town lots.
In 1881, the school that was later to become the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College was founded on Fort Leavenworth by General William T. Sherman. Some of the many famous students and instructors at the college are George C. Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, Colin Polwell and George Patton.
In 1885, the Wadsworth of Old Soldiers Home was built, and later became the Veterans Administration Center. In 1893, the Immanuel Chapel, made famous in Ripley's "Believe It or Not", was built on the V.A. grounds.
In 1906, the first cellhouse of the Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary was opened. Among the infamous criminals incarcerated here were Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly and Robert Staud, the Birdman of Alcatraz.
There are a great deal of wonderful sites and experiences waiting for you and we hope that you will get the opportunity to enjoy some of our renowned Kansas hospitality.
Explore Leavenworth County
Tonganoxie Community Historical Society Museum
The Tonganoxie Community Historical Society (TCHS) owns and operates 10 acres, called the Site, with four buildings. They are The Honey Valley School house, Reno Methodist Church, Fairchild/
Tonganoxie, KS MuseumsUnited States Penitentiary -
Leavenworth is best known for the "Federal Pen" or "Big House", which is now a medium-security prison. Construction of this historic prison began in 1897, with the first cell house opening in 1906. The Federal Penitentiary has been the home of Kansas City Boss Tom Pendergast, George "Machine Gun"
Leavenworth, KS PenitentiariesEisenhower Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Cntr.
While visiting the Veterans Administration Center and its grounds, you will want to see the Chapel of Veteran's. The Chapel, built in 1893, features architecture reminiscent of the early European cathedrals. In 1921, this attraction was made famous in Ripley's "Believe It or Not"
Leavenworth, KS Historic ChurchesHeadquarters Area
Headquarters area buildings are named for Generals Sherman, Grant, and Sheridan. They were built from 1859 to 1904 and are on the site of the former soldiers burying ground.
Fort Leavenworth, KS Historic BuildingsBarth Hall and the "Beehive"
Barth Hall, the building on the corner of Kearney and McCellan Avenues, was the home in 1881 of the School of Application for Cavalry and Infantry, the predecessor of the Command and General Staff College. The large building directly west of Barth Hall is known as the "Beehive." Built in 1882
Fort Leavenworth, KS Historic BuildingsC.W. Parker Carousel
Ride a restored antique wooden 1913 Parker carousel and tour the museum dedicated to telling the remarkable story of C. Parker, the "Carnival King". There are two other carousels in the museum. One is the oldest operating, hand-cranked, wooden carousel, built around 1860 and the other is a 1950
Leavenworth, KS One Of A KindsLansing Historical Museum
A little bit of the past has been saved by a group of Lansing History enthusiasts, who dreamed of preserving the Old Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Train Depot, now sitting on a tree-shaded grounds in central Lansing.
Lansing, KS MuseumsLeavenworth Historical Wayside Tour
Leavenworth, the "First City of Kansas", invites you to take a walk back in time and explore the history of "Where the West Began" by visiting our Historic Wayside Tour.
Leavenworth, KS ToursMemorial Chapel
Built in 1878 by prison labor from stone quarried on the post and, today, is considered to be an outstanding architectural "gem" in this area.
Fort Leavenworth, KS Historic ChurchesOregon and Santa Fe Trails
In the 1830s, settlers heading for the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails crossed the Missouri River at this point. Teams of oxen pulled the loaded wagons through the "cut " in the hillside you can still see today.
Fort Leavenworth, KS Pioneer LifeNational Fred Harvey Museum
The National Fred Harvey Museum seeks to: * Restore the Harvey residence in Leavenworth to its historic magnificence. * Increase public awareness of Mr. Harvey's achievements and his contributions to civilizing the great American Southwest. *
Leavenworth, KS MuseumsLeavenworth Landing Park
Located on the Missouri River, the park revives one of the major river landing sites where boats loaded and unloaded travelers and freight. The design of the Leavenworth Landing Park focuses on the role of Leavenworth as the "Gateway to the West"
Leavenworth, KS Recreation