Fort Leavenworth
National Historic Landmark

Fort Leavenworth

Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
District
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
66000346

About this property

Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., and the oldest permanent settlement in Kansas. Fort Leavenworth has been historically known as the "Intellectual Center of the Army." During the country's westward expansion, Fort Leavenworth was a forward destination for thousands of soldiers, surveyors, immigrants, American Indians, preachers and settlers who passed through. Today, the garrison supports the US Army Transformation and Training Command (T2COM) by managing and maintaining the home of the US Army Combined Arms Command (CAC). CAC's mission involves leader development, collective training, and Army doctrine and battle command (current and future). Fort Leavenworth is also home to the Military Corrections Complex, consisting of the United States Disciplinary Barracks – the Department of Defense's only maximum security prison – and the Midwest Joint Regional Correctional Facility. In addition, the Fort Leavenworth Garrison supports numerous tenant organizations that directly and indirectly relate to the functions of the CAC, including the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the Foreign Military Studies Office. The fort occupies 5,600 acres (2,300 ha) and has 7,000,000 square feet (650,000 m2) of floor area in 1,000 buildings and 1,500 quarters. It is located on the Frontier Military Scenic Byway (U.S. Route 69 and K-7 corridor), which was originally a military road connecting to Fort Scott and Fort Gibson. Fort Leavenworth was also the base of African-American soldiers of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on 21 September 1866 at Fort Leavenworth. They became known as Buffalo Soldiers, nicknamed by the Native American tribes whom they fought. The term eventually was applied to all of the African-American regiments formed in 1866.

Location

Leavenworth, Leavenworth County, Kansas
39.35472, -94.91846

Categories

MILITARYEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery
Early Republic
0.6 mi
North Broadway School
Industrial
2 mi
William Small Memorial Home for Aged Women
Industrial
2.2 mi
North Esplanade Historic District
Listed
2.3 mi
North Broadway Historic District
Listed
2.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Fort Leavenworth listed on the National Register?

Fort Leavenworth was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Fort Leavenworth?

Fort Leavenworth is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Fort Leavenworth a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Fort Leavenworth has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Fort Leavenworth?

The period of significance for Fort Leavenworth is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1827.

Can I research the history near Fort Leavenworth?

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