Historic Leavenworth
ABOUT "THE FIRST CITY OF KANSAS" - LEAVENWORTH
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 1840s, travel to Oregon and California had begun and thousands of wagons passed through Fort Leavenworth on the way to the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails.
In 1854, the City of Leavenworth was founded as the very first city of Kansas. Leavenworth became nationally-known as the "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 that 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 were George C. Marshall, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, George Patton, and Colin Powell.
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 VA grounds.
In 1906, the first cell house of the Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary was opened. Among the infamous criminals incarcerated here were Carl Panzram, 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 (Est. 1962)
- Omi Hachiman, Japan (Est. 1997)
There are many wonderful sites and experiences waiting just for you and we hope that you will have the opportunity to enjoy some of our renowned Kansas hospitality!
