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Leavenworth () is the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
and largest city of Leavenworth County,
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
, United States. Part of the
Kansas City metropolitan area The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
, Leavenworth is located on the west bank of the
Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...
, on the site of
Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
, built in 1827. The city became known in
American history The history of the present-day United States began in roughly 15,000 BC with the arrival of Peopling of the Americas, the first people in the Americas. In the late 15th century, European colonization of the Americas, European colonization beg ...
for its role as a key supply base in the settlement of the
American West The Western United States (also called the American West, the Western States, the Far West, the Western territories, and the West) is census regions United States Census Bureau As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the mea ...
. During the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, many volunteers joined the Union Army from Leavenworth. The city has been notable as the location of several prisons, particularly the United States Disciplinary Barracks and United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 37,351.


History

Leavenworth, founded in 1854, was the first city incorporated in the territory of Kansas. The city developed south of
Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
, which was established as Cantonment Leavenworth in 1827 by Colonel Henry Leavenworth. Its location on the
Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...
attracted refugee African-American slaves in the antebellum years, who were seeking freedom from the slave state of
Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
across the river. Abolition supporters helped them find refuge. In the years before the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, Leavenworth was a hotbed of anti-slavery and pro-slavery agitation, often leading to open physical confrontations on the street and in public meetings. On April 3, 1858, the " Leavenworth Constitution" for the state of Kansas was adopted here. Although the federal government never approved this early version of the state constitution, it was considered one of the most radical of the four constitutions drafted for the new territory because it recognized freed black people as citizens. Refugee African Americans continued to settle in the city during the war. By 1865, it had attracted nearly one-fifth of the 12,000 black people in the state.Richard B. Sheridan
"Charles Henry Langston and the African American Struggle in Kansas"
''Kansas State History'', Winter 1999, accessed 15 December 2008.
In 1866, the 10th Regiment of Cavalry, an all-black unit within the U.S. Army, was stood up at Fort Leavenworth. Charles Henry Langston was an African-American leader from Ohio who worked and lived in Leavenworth and northeastern Kansas in the
Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in History of the United States, US history that followed the American Civil War (1861-65) and was dominated by the legal, social, and political challenges of the Abolitionism in the United States, abol ...
and afterward. In Kansas, Langston worked for black suffrage and the right of African Americans to sit on juries, testify in court, and have their children educated in common schools. African Americans gained suffrage in 1870 after passage of the federal 15th constitutional amendment, and the legislature voted for their right to sit on juries in 1874. African Americans continued to migrate to the state of Kansas after the war. There were a total of 17,108 African Americans in Kansas in 1870, with 43,107 in 1880, and 52,003 by 1900, most of whom lived in urban areas.


20th century to present

Fred Alexander, a 22-year-old black veteran of the Spanish–American War, was arrested on circumstantial evidence following months of assaults on young white women in late 1900. Witnesses had identified a "large white man" and a "slight black man" as having been seen in the vicinity of the attacks, Police moved him to the penitentiary during questioning, but a lynch mob was forming in Leavenworth. The sheriff needed to bring him to Leavenworth for arraignment at the county court. He refused the governor's offer of state militia, and was unable to protect the prisoner. On January 15, 1901, Alexander was taken from jail by a mob of 5,000 people and to the site of the murder of Pearl Forbes, where he was brutally lynched: burned alive.Christopher Lovett, "A Public Burning: Race, Sex, and the Lynching of Fred Alexander"
Kansas State Historical Society, Summer 2010; accessed 02 June 2018
He protested his innocence to the end. An inquest concluded he had been killed by "persons unknown". His family refused to claim his body for burial. His father Alfred Alexander, an exoduster, said "The people have mutilated him, now let them bury him." The city arranged burial. African Americans in the region were horrified at Alexander's murder by the mob and created the first state chapter of the Afro-American Council, then the only national organization working for civil rights.Shawn Leigh Alexander, "Vengeance Without Justice, Injustice Without Retribution/ The Afro-American Council’s Struggle Against Racial Violence"
''Great Plains Quarterly'', Center for Great Plains Studies, Spring 2007; accessed 02 June 2018
(The
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...
(NAACP) was founded a few years later, and absorbed most members of the AAC.) In 1972 Benjamin Day became the city's first African-American mayor. Day had been elected to the City Commission one year earlier. Leavenworth appoints its mayor from among the members of the Commission, and Day was named mayor in 1971. Day was a former educator and principal in Leavenworth.
Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
was located outside the city limits until its territory was annexed by the city on April 12, 1977. In 2008, an underground series of "vaults" was found in the city, apparently built during the late 19th century.


Geography

Leavenworth is located in northeastern Kansas at the junction of U.S. Route 73 and Kansas Highway 92 (K-92), Leavenworth is northwest of downtown
Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
, south-southeast of
Omaha Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...
, and northeast of Wichita. The city lies on the west bank of the
Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...
in the Dissected Till Plains region of North America's Central Lowlands. Four small tributaries of the river flow generally east through the city. From north to south, these are Quarry Creek, Corral Creek, Three Mile Creek, and Five Mile Creek. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
occupies the northern half of the city's area. Leavenworth, along with the rest of Leavenworth County, lies within the
Kansas City metropolitan area The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
. Lansing is located to the south.


Climate

Leavenworth experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen ''Dfa''), with hot, humid summers and cold, drier winters. On average, January is the coldest month, July is the hottest month, and June is the wettest month.


Demographics

Leavenworth is the 10th most populated city in the
Kansas City metropolitan area The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
.


2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 37,351 people, 13,143 households, and 8,369 families in Leavenworth. The population density was 1,540.7 per square mile (594.9/km). There were 14,756 housing units at an average density of 608.7 per square mile (235.0/km). The racial makeup was 71.01% (26,523)
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
or
European American European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...
(67.28%
non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...
), 13.77% (5,145)
black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
, 1.08% (405) Native American or
Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...
, 1.78% (666) Asian, 0.31% (117)
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
or
Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi was set ...
, 1.99% (742) from other races, and 10.05% (3,753) from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race was 8.82% (3,294) of the population. Of the 13,143 households, 34.0% had children under the age of 18; 45.6% were married couples living together; 26.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 31.0% of households consisted of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.1. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 22.7% of the population. 24.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 83.1 males. The 2016-2020 5-year
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
estimates show that the median household income was $60,870 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,391) and the median family income was $81,133 (+/- $5,077). Males had a median income of $36,795 (+/- $4,066) versus $25,100 (+/- $2,878) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $31,027 (+/- $2,275). Approximately, 7.7% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 13.7% of those under the age of 18 and 6.4% of those ages 65 or over.


2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 35,251 people, 12,256 households, and 8,129 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 13,670 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 75.4%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 15.1%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.9% American Indian, 1.8% Asian, 0.2%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 2.0% from other races, and 4.6% from two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race were 8.1% of the population. There were 12,256 households, of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.7% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55, and the average family size was 3.15. The median age in the city was 34.8 years. 26% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.6% were from 25 to 44; 23.9% were from 45 to 64; and 10% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 53.9% male and 46.1% female. The median income for a household in the city was $49,823, and the median income for a family was $61,576. Males had a median income of $49,693 versus $30,888 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $23,102. About 9.8% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.


Religion

Leavenworth contains a number of religious traditions stemming from its history and international military population. In the mid to late 19th century, Leavenworth had one of the largest Jewish communities in Kansas, made up of immigrants from Europe. Leavenworth had multiple Orthodox congregations by 1870. Over generations many Jews ultimately intermarried and their descendants became Christian. There are two United Methodist Churches, the First United Methodist Church and Trinity United Methodist Church. Other Protestant churches include Lutheran, Episcopal, Southern Baptist, American Baptist, African Methodist Episcopal, United Church of Christ, Presbyterian, Community Church of Christ, Church of the Nazarene, Grace and Truth Fellowship, Assemblies of God, and Seventh-Day Adventist. Other religious institutions include a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Islamic Center of Leavenworth, A few churches conduct services in
Hangul The Korean alphabet is the modern writing system for the Korean language. In North Korea, the alphabet is known as (), and in South Korea, it is known as (). The letters for the five basic consonants reflect the shape of the speech organs ...
. Leavenworth is part of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, with two Roman Catholic parishes in the city. Leavenworth was originally the Roman Catholic Diocese of the Indian Territory. It stretched some 600 miles from the West bank of the Missouri River to the summit of the Rockies, and about three times that distance from the Canadian border on the North to the Red River on the South. John Baptist Miège was the first Bishop of the Leavenworth Archdiocese, and erected the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, completed in 1854 and dedicated on December 8, 1854 on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It remained the Cathedral until Bishop George Donnelly moved the see city of the Diocese to Kansas City Kansas in 1947.


Economy

, 58.6% of the population over the age of 16 was in the labor force. 7.8% was in the armed forces, and 50.8% was in the civilian labor force with 47.0% being employed and 3.8% unemployed. The composition, by occupation, of the employed civilian labor force was: 34.5% in management, business, science, and arts; 22.8% in sales and office occupations; 23.2% in service occupations; 8.4% in natural resources, construction, and maintenance; 11.0% in production, transportation, and material moving. The three industries employing the largest percentages of the working civilian labor force were: educational services, health care, and social assistance (22.7%); public administration (15.6%); and retail trade (13.0%). The U.S. military at
Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
is the city's largest employer, employing roughly 5,600 people, followed by Leavenworth Public Schools and the Department of Veterans Affairs Eastern Kansas Health Care System. The cost of living in Leavenworth is below average; compared to a U.S. average of 100, the cost of living index for the city is 87.1. , the median home value in the city was $124,200, the median selected monthly owner cost was $1,282 for housing units with a mortgage and $428 for those without, and the median gross rent was $762.


Top employers

According to the town's 2015 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:


Arts and culture


Museums

The C.W. Parker Carousel Museum is listed as one of the "8 Wonders of Kansas Customs" by the Kansas Sampler Foundation. The Fred Harvey Museum, owned and operated by the Leavenworth Historical Museum Association, offers insights into the Harvey family and information about the chain of Harvey Houses in the American Southwest. Also owned and operated by Leavenworth Historical Museum Association, First City Museum tells the rich history of Leavenworth. Displays include famous citizens, businesses, Indian tribes, the prison industry, the military, large collection of horse drawn vehicles and a 17th century dugout canoe. The Leavenworth County Historical Society maintains a museum at the Edward Carroll House, a Victorian-era mansion that is open to the public for touring. The Richard Allen Cultural Center and Museum contains items and artifacts from
African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
pioneers and members of the military, including the "Black Dignity" collection of 1870s-1920s photographs from the Mary Everhard Collection.


Events

Leavenworth enjoys year-round plays and musicals performed by a community theater group, the River City Community Players. The Annual Saint Patrick's Day Parade is held each year since 1984 on March 17 at 12 noon in downtown Leavenworth. The day begins with a 9:00 a.m. Roman Catholic Mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, "The Old Cathedral": ancestral home of the Irish of Leavenworth. Various fraternal and civic clubs and restaurants host events; monies raised above Parade costs are donated to local charities.


Military

A parade is held each year on Veterans' Day in downtown Leavenworth to honor veterans. Leavenworth has an active Byron H. Mehl
American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...
Post #23 and
Veterans of Foreign Wars The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), formally the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States Armed Forces, United States war veterans who fought in wars, Military campaign, campaig ...
George Edward White Post 56. Leavenworth High School boasts the very first Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps in the country.


Points of interest

Leavenworth has a 28-block historic shopping district, which includes antique shops, restaurants, a brewery and a variety of artisan gift shops. Haymarket Square is a covered lot where a local farmer's market takes place from May to October.


Parks and recreation

The Leavenworth Parks and Recreation Department maintains a system of more than 25 public parks as well as Riverfront Community Center, which includes an indoor cardio room and pool, and Wollman Aquatic Center. An off-leash dog park near the Dwight D. Eisenhower Veterans Affairs Medical Center was built with public donations in 2010.


Government

Leavenworth is a city of the first class with a commission-manager form of government. The city commission is the city's governing body and consists of five members, including the
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
and the mayor pro-tem. It sets city policies, adopts the city government's annual operating budget, and appoints city boards, commissions, and officials, including the
city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...
. Commissioners are elected to either four-year or two-year terms; one is appointed to serve as mayor, and another to serve as mayor pro-tem. The commission meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. The city manager is the city's chief executive, responsible for the day-to-day administration of the city government. The manager supervises all city government departments and employees, prepares and proposes the annual operating budget, and recommends policies to the city commission. As the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
, Leavenworth is the administrative center of Leavenworth County. The
county courthouse A courthouse or court house is a structure which houses judicial functions for a governmental entity such as a state, region, province, county, prefecture, regency, or similar governmental unit. A courthouse is home to one or more courtrooms, ...
is located south of downtown at 4th and Walnut streets, and all departments of the county government base their operations in the city. Leavenworth lies within Kansas's 2nd U.S. Congressional District. For the purposes of representation in the Kansas Legislature, the city is in the 5th district of the Kansas Senate and the 40th, 41st, and 42nd districts of the Kansas House of Representatives. The
United States Department of Veterans Affairs The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing lifelong healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers an ...
operates the Dwight D. Eisenhower Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Leavenworth as part of its Eastern Kansas Health Care System. The Medical Center includes a Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP), part of an initiative to provide mail-order prescriptions to veterans using automated systems at strategic locations throughout the United States, as well as the Central Plains Consolidated Patient Account Center (CPAC), a billing and collection agency.


Fort Leavenworth

Fort Leavenworth, known as the "Intellectual Center of the Army", is home to the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center. It is also home to the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, School of Advanced Military Studies, the Center for Army Leadership, the Combat Studies Institute, the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate, the Center for Army Lessons Learned and the Mission Command Center of Excellence.


Prisons

Leavenworth is the location of several federal and state detention centers and prisons: * United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth (USP) constructed in 1903, and its satellite prison camp, operated by the
Federal Bureau of Prisons The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Justice that is responsible for all List of United States federal prisons, federal prisons ...
* United States Disciplinary Barracks, the U.S. military's only maximum-security facility * Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility, another U.S. military facility * Leavenworth Detention Center, operator by for-profit prison corporation, CoreCivic for the
United States Marshals Service The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The Marshals Service serves as the enforcement and security arm of the United States federal judi ...


Education


Primary and secondary education

Two
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
school districts serve the city. The majority of the city lies within Leavenworth USD 453, which operates six schools: four elementary schools, one middle school, and Leavenworth High School. USD 453 also operates Leavenworth Virtual School, an Internet-based school for students from grades Kindergarten through eighth grade. Senior high school students from Fort Leavenworth attend Leavenworth High School. 5th and 6th graders attend Richard Warren Middle School, which recently completed construction of a technology extension to the original building. Fort Leavenworth USD 207 encompasses Fort Leavenworth, and operates three elementary schools and one junior high school. A small portion of southern Leavenworth is in Lansing USD 469. Residents of this district are zoned to Lansing High School. There are also two private schools in Leavenworth, and formerly there was a private high school. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas oversees one
Catholic school Catholic schools are Parochial school, parochial pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest parochial schools, religious, no ...
, Xavier Elementary School ( Grades Pre-K-8). Immaculata High School (Kansas) closed at the end of the 2016-2017 school year. The
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...
operates one Lutheran school, St. Paul Lutheran School (Pre-K-8).


Colleges and universities

The main campus of University of Saint Mary, a four-year, private
Catholic university Catholic higher education includes universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education privately run by the Catholic Church, typically by religious institutes. Those tied to the Holy See are specifically called pontifical univers ...
, is in Leavenworth. In addition, Kansas City Kansas Community College operates a satellite campus in the city.


Media

The ''
Leavenworth Times ''Leavenworth Times'' is an American daily newspaper published in Leavenworth, Kansas. The newspaper is owned by CherryRoad Media. History Founded in 1856 by future United States Senator Robert Crozier, the ''Times'' claims to be the oldest d ...
'', published by
CherryRoad Media CherryRoad Media is an American newspaper publisher and commercial printer based in New Jersey. It is the communications division of CherryRoad Technologies and was founded in 2020 by its CEO Jeremy Gulban. The company specializes in weekly publ ...
is the city's daily newspaper. CherryRoad Media also publishes '' The Fort Leavenworth Lamp'', a weekly newspaper covering local military news, on contract with the U.S. Army. Leavenworth is in the Kansas City radio and television markets. Two radio stations are licensed in the city: KKLO broadcasts from Leavenworth on 1410 AM, a Fox News affiliate; KQRC-FM broadcasts from
Mission, Kansas Mission is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, Johnson County, Kansas, United States, and part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 9,954. History An Indian mission ...
on 98.9 FM, playing a Rock format. The major regional newspaper is the Kansas City Star.


Transportation

In April 2023, RideLV began to provide on-demand transit service within the city using a mobile software app. The service is operated by The Guidance Center in partnership with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. However, Leavenworth remains the largest city in Kansas without fixed-route public transit service. The nearest intercity transit services are located in Kansas City, Missouri.
Kansas City Union Station Kansas City Union Station (station code: KCY) is a union station that opened in 1914, serving Kansas City, Missouri, and the Kansas City metropolitan area, surrounding metropolitan area. It replaced a small Union Depot built in 1878. Union Stat ...
serves
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
's ''
Southwest Chief The ''Southwest Chief'' (formerly the ''Southwest Limited'' and ''Super Chief'') is a Amtrak Long Distance, long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on a route between Chicago and Los Angeles through the Midwest and American Southwest ...
'' and '' Missouri River Runner''. The Kansas City Bus Station serves
Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. is an American operator of Intercity bus service, intercity bus services. Greyhound operates the largest intercity bus network in the United States, and also operates charter and Amtrak Thruway services, as well as interci ...
and
Jefferson Lines Jefferson Lines (JL or JLI) is a regional intercity bus company operating in 14 states in the Midwest and the West of the United States. History The company is operated by Jefferson Partners L.P., located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jefferson P ...
.


In popular culture

Leavenworth is the setting for "Hurt People", a 2009 novel by Cote Smith.


Notable people

Political activist Charles Henry Langston lived and worked here (1863-1870), assisting African-American refugees from slave states and, after the Civil War, working for black suffrage and equal rights of blacks in the West; he moved to Lawrence for the remainder of his life. General of the Army and 34th
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...
once served at Fort Leavenworth. Both Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok lived and worked in Leavenworth during its Old West frontier period. Other notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Leavenworth include rock musician Melissa Etheridge, restaurant entrepreneur Fred Harvey, Broadway producer and
Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cere ...
founder Brock Pemberton, U.S. Supreme Court justice David Josiah Brewer, author Sanora Babb, and former NBA player, Wayne Anthony Simien.


Sister cities

* Wagga Wagga, New South Wales,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
* Ōmihachiman,
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...


Gallery

File: Leavenworth Landing Park in Kansas spring.jpg, Leavenworth Landing Park along the Missouri River in Leavenworth. File: Downtown Leavenworth Kansas 2019.jpg, Downtown Leavenworth, Kansas along Delaware Street facing south. File:Leavenworth Historic Marker.jpg, Marker relating the history of Leavenworth. File:Leavenworthplaque.jpg, Plaque (2013) memorializing soldiers from Leavenworth County who were killed in action during World War II and Korea. File:Leavenworth Veterans Memorial.jpg, The Leavenworth Veterans Memorial was erected in 2013 to honor and remember service members who died during the Global War on Terror era. File:First Presbyterian Church, Leavenworth, Kansas.JPG, First Presbyterian Church (2012). File:North Esplanade Park and the Centennial Bridge leading into Kansas in fall.jpg, Fall color at North Esplanade Park, the first park founded in the first City of Kansas. File:David Brewer Park.jpg, David Brewer Park in Leavenworth, Kansas, named for David Josiah Brewer, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice. File:David Josiah Brewer House, Leavenworth, Kansas.jpg, Home of David Josiah Brewer, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice, when he lived in Leavenworth. File:Edward Carroll House with Historical Plaque, Leavenworth, Kansas.jpg, Edward Carroll House, operating since 1965 as a Victorian house museum. File:Leavenworth Riverfront Community Center (front).jpg, Riverfront Community Center, a former Union Station train depot. File:A. J. Angell House (Main Building).JPG, A. J. Angell House. File:Leavenworth-prison.jpg, US Penitentiary in Leavenworth. File:Nathaniel Burt House, Leavenworth, Kansas.JPG, Nathaniel Burt House. File:Abernathy Furniture Co (Leavenworth, Kansas) 1.jpg, Abernathy Furniture Co. building was converted to lofts in the early 2000s. File:Merritt Insley House (East Side), Leavenworth, Kansas.jpg, Merritt Insley House.


See also

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Leavenworth County, Kansas *
List of National Historic Landmarks in Kansas This is a list of all National Historic Landmarks designated by the U.S. government in Kansas. There are 26 National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) in Kansas. The United States National Historic Landmark program is operated under the auspices of t ...


References


Further reading


External links

;City *
Leavenworth - Directory of Public Officials
League of Kansas Municipalities
The Leavenworth-Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce



Leavenworth city map
KDOT ;Historical
Leavenworth County Historical Society
* * {{Authority control Cities in Kansas County seats in Kansas Cities in Kansas City metropolitan area Cities in Leavenworth County, Kansas 1854 establishments in Kansas Territory Kansas populated places on the Missouri River Capitals of Kansas Populated places established in 1854