Lecompton, Kansas, was the setting for today’s post. I recalled my high school history class about the prelude to the American Civil War. Kansans would tell you it started in their state several years before the confederates’ attack on Fort Sumter. Southern slave states wanted Kansas admitted to the union as slave state. This was to continue the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.
What really amounted to a mini civil war on a much smaller scale happened in Kansas prior to statehood. Pro-slavery Missourians fought with radical abolutionist like John Brown in a period of time known as Bleeding Kansas. All of this makes me want to watch the History Channel more when they’re not broadcasting faux history shows like Ice Road Truckers and UFO Phenomenon.

We visited the oldest wooden building in Kansas – Constitution Hall – which was the setting for the pro-slavery constitution was was never to be put into place. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. It’s hard to believe that had Kansas’ history gone another direction, we’d be talking about Lecompton in lieu of Topeka as the capitol. At this point Lecompton is just a wide spot in the road with a bit of some Kansas history to it. However after Topeka as selected everyone moved out of Lecompton and on to Topeka. Lecompton is virtually a ghost town now.

In Topeka the state Capitol building was under construction. I had really wanted to see the mural of John Brown. This portrait of John Brown is the only known person convicted of treason featured in a state capitol.

Then onto Scanton, Buringame, Strong City, Cottonwood Falls, and Emporium. All nice towns of varying sizes. Each having their own downtown area with a few shops – always the hardware store, gas station, and cafe.
And if you’re intersted in more photos, Mark has some photos on his page which gets posted in real time as we visit.