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 OLDEST--City in Kansas - Leavenworth, Kansas Posted by:  iconions
N 39° 19.158 W 094° 54.927
15S E 334879 N 4353959
This marker is located on the pedestal of the American Flag. It is located in front of the Municipal Building located at 100 N. 5th in Leavenworth, Kansas.
Waymark Code: WMYK1G
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 06/23/2018
Views: 4
This marker is located on the pedestal of the American Flag. It is located in front of the Municipal Building
(picture of Seal of City of Leavenworth)
Leavenworth
The Oldest City in Kansas
Leavenworth was founded in June, 1854. Although it
was not incorporated until the following summer. During the
Territorial struggle which flared between Proslavery and
Free State forces, the City was the scene of many incidents
which contributed to the reputation of "Bleeding Kansas".
At this location, Leavenworth's first Municipally owned
city building, the Market House, was opened in 1858. City business
was conducted on the second floor. Merchants, including
several butchers, operated stalls - renting for 30 dollars
a year - on its first floor.
Erected by Leavenworth Historical Society 1968
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. Leavenworth became nationally "jumping off point" for the opening of the West. Buffalo Bill Cody spent part of his youth here and later worked in the area as a Pony Express rider and Army scout. Cody's parents are buried in Leavenworth.
The Land where Leavenworth and Fort Leavenworth are located today was originally inhabited by the Kansa, Osage and Delaware Indians and today many of our streets are named after these and other local Indian tribes.
In 1858, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth settled here. In 1864, the Sisters opened St. John Hospital and in 1923 founded Saint Mary College which is now the University of Saint Mary.
In 1863, the legislature passed an act to erect the Kansas State 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 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 Powell and George Patton.
In 1885, the Wadsworth 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 cell house of the Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary was opened. Among the infamous criminals incarcerated here were Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly and Robert Stroud, the Birdman of Alcatraz. This imposing facility took over 11 years to complete.
Leavenworth has two Sister Cities: Wagga Wagga, Australia since 1962 and Omi Hachiman, Japan since 1997.
- Leavenworth Convention Bureau Website
FIRST - Classification Variable: Place or Location
Date of FIRST: 06/01/1854
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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