Leavenworth, Kansas

Leavenworth is located in northeastern Kansas, slightly west of the border with Missouri, and 27 miles (43 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City and 62 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Topeka. It is the county seat of Leavenworth County, and home to 35,420 residents.

Numerous movies have made Leavenworth and nearby Fort Leavenworth synonymous with prisons. Starting in 1996, the Leavenworth Convention and Visitors Bureau began using this reputation to promote tourism, and even have "I Did Time in Leavenworth" T-shirts for sale. Although visitors can see the four area penitentiaries from the outside (including the U.S. Penitentiary at Leavenworth, which has held Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, Robert Stroud, and other infamous criminals), none of them allow public tours.

The community also offers numerous historic and modern attractions. Founded in 1884, Leavenworth was the first city in Kansas, and the place "where the history of the west began." The city became the jumping off point for settlers looking for a new life in the American West, and even Buffalo Bill Cody once lived and worked in the area. A great place to learn about the city's colorful past is the First City Museum. Exhibits include frontier tools and furniture, Morse code equipment, prison memorabilia, and more. The C. W. Parker Carousel Museum is sure to delight both kids and adults. Highlights include beautifully restored antique carousels and informative displays on "Carnival King" Charles Wallace Parker, the man who turned Leavenworth into the carousel capital of the world in the early 1900s. Other heritage attractions include the 1882 Carroll Mansion, the Richard Allen Cultural Center, and the National Fred Harvey Museum.

Located just nine miles (14 kilometers) north of the city, Fort Leavenworth is an active army garrison that also offers many historic attractions. Visitors can explore the Frontier Army Museum, see the Buffalo Soldier Monument, and tour the original 1827 Fort, the oldest continuously operated army fort west of the Mississippi.

On the local arts scene, the Carnegie Arts Center offers a variety of classes in the performing arts, along with year-round exhibits in its Stacks Gallery. For a great night out, head to the Performing Arts Center to see fine plays by the River City Community Players and other live entertainment. Still looking for more? Remember that Leavenworth is less than an hour's drive away from the urban attractions of Kansas City and Topeka!

Consider making your next home in Leavenworth, the "First City of Kansas!"

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