Leavenworth, KS

The townsite was marked off on 12 June 1854 on Delaware Trust lands immediately south of the Fort Leavenworth military reservation, by George W. Gist, John C. Gist and Samuel Farnandis, weeks after the Kansas-Nebraska Act opened the territory. Lots were sold that October; the city's own account says Leavenworth 'became the very First City of Kansas.' source 1 source 2

The name. Named for the adjacent Fort Leavenworth, which General Henry Leavenworth established in 1827 and which carries his name. source

Described by the city and by regional reference works as the first city incorporated in Kansas Territory. source 1 source 2

1. 1827Fort Leavenworth established as Cantonment Leavenworth on the Missouri River bluffs. source
2. 1854Fort Leavenworth served as the seat of Kansas territorial government for under two months, from 7 October to 24 November, while Governor Andrew J. Reeder conducted territorial business in the Old Assembly Hall. source
3. 1858The Leavenworth Constitution, one of four constitutions proposed for Kansas during the territorial period, was drafted and adopted in the city. source
4. 1906The first cell house of the federal penitentiary opened. source
5. 1977Fort Leavenworth was annexed into the city limits on 12 April. source

The median home sold here was built in 1963. Most of what sells was built between 1900 and 2006. That closely matches the Census figure of 1969 for all housing, so sales are broadly representative of the stock. 49% of sales included finished basement space beyond the above-grade footprint - which matters here, because square footage quoted above grade can understate a house considerably.

By property type, sales broke down as Single Family (432), Half Duplex (1), Townhouse (1), Other (1).

Fort Leavenworth was established in 1827 by General Henry Leavenworth along the Santa Fe Trail. The Kansas Historical Society states it is 'the third oldest continuously active military base in the United States, and the oldest active military base west of the Mississippi River.' source

The fort is the Army's schoolhouse. General William T. Sherman established the School of Application for Cavalry and Infantry there in 1881; it became the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 1946. Eisenhower, Bradley and Patton were among its graduates. source

Leavenworth was the region's outfitting point for westward travel and became nationally known as the 'jumping off point' for the opening of the West; by the 1840s thousands of wagons passed through Fort Leavenworth on the Santa Fe and Oregon Trails. source

Market characteristic: the Command and General Staff College runs a resident course on an academic-year calendar, and the fort's student and faculty population turns over with it. This is the strongest military-relocation signal of any city in this group. source

Historic downtown shopping district

A 28-block district of nineteenth-century commercial buildings. source

C. W. Parker Carousel Museum

Museum built around carousels made by the Leavenworth-based C. W. Parker company. source

Richard Allen Cultural Center and Museum

Local history museum in the city. source

Riverfront Community Center and North Esplanade Park

Missouri riverfront civic and park space; the city's parks department maintains more than 25 public parks. source

Schools

Leavenworth USD 453; Fort Leavenworth USD 207 serves the installation; a small southern portion falls in Lansing USD 469. Three districts serve one city, and none of the boundaries follow the city limits. Confirm the district and attendance area for any specific address before relying on it. Confirm the assigned school for any specific address before you rely on it. source

Getting around

US 73 and K-92 serve the city; the Centennial Bridge crosses the Missouri River into Missouri. There is no fixed-route transit - the city launched RideLV, an on-demand service, in April 2023. Kansas City Union Station, about 25 miles away, is the nearest Amtrak stop. source

Employers located here

Fort Leavenworth (U.S. Army), Dwight D. Eisenhower Veterans Affairs Medical Center, United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth (Federal Bureau of Prisons), Leavenworth USD 453, Hallmark Cards, Inc.. Listed as present in the city, which is not a statement about hiring.

Melissa Etheridge

Born and raised in Leavenworth. source

Fred Harvey

Founded the Harvey House restaurant chain from a base in Leavenworth; a city museum bears his name. source

Brock Pemberton

Broadway producer, born in Leavenworth; founder of the Tony Awards. source

David Josiah Brewer

U.S. Supreme Court Justice; practised law and served on the bench in Leavenworth before his appointment. source