1000 S. Esplanade, Leavenworth, Kansas
Date: 2002
This is a view of a large two story house located at 1000 South Esplanade in Leavenworth, Kansas.

319 Broadway, Leavenworth, Kansas
Date: 2002
This large two story house is located at 319 Broadway in Leavenworth, Kansas.

8,000 students affected, state officials see no trouble adjusting schools to new rule
Creator: Topeka Journal
Date: May 17, 1954
This article discusses how the state of Kansas will work to conform to the ruling made in the Brown v. Board of Education decision on May 17, 1954. The U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that the segregation of schools based on race was unconstitutional. Many cities in Kansas, including Topeka, Atchison, Salina, Wichita, and Pittsburg were already working to integrate their schools. Topeka had an estimated 625 African American students who would be affected by the court's ruling, and the article lists the numbers for other cities and towns in the state.

818 S. Esplanade, Leavenworth, Kansas
Date: 2002
This is a view of a two story wood-framed house located at 818 South Esplanade in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Abernathy desk chair
Creator: Abernathy Furniture Company
Date: between 1918 and 1925
Oak desk chair with a blond finish, made by the Abernathy Furniture Company of Leavenworth, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri. LaVern Clair Noyes of Osborne acquired the chair from the Larosh Family of Osborne County, possibly in trade for services. Noyes was a custom harvester who also sold insurance and real estate.

Address to the Voters of Kansas
Creator: Pomeroy, S. C. (Samuel Clarke), 1816-1891
Date: September 25, 1867
The numerous authors of this pamphlet (Republicans) support the constitutional amendments to approve voting rights for blacks, for women, and to restrict voting rights to "loyal persons." They offer arguments for their position as well as criticizing the Democratic Party in Kansas for their opposition to these amendments. Forty five men signed the document, which was the result of a meeting in Lawrence. The following signed the document S. C. Pomeroy, Atchison; E. G. Ross, Lawrence; S. J. Crawford, Topeka; N. Green, Manhattan; Chas. Robinson, Lawrence; Geo T. Anthony, Leavenworth; Lewis Bodwell, Topeka; R. B. Taylor, editor Wyandotte Gazette; J. P. Root, Whandotte; James Rogers, Burlingame; S. Weaver, Editor Lecompton New Era; L. R. Elliott, Editor Atchison Daily Free Press; W. A. Starrett, Lawrence; Wm. Larimer, Jr., Leavenworth; John Ritchie, Topeka; John Ekin, Topeka; Sol. Miller, Editor White Cloud Chief; A. H. Foote, Lawrence; C. B. Lines, Wabaunsee; R. G. Elliott, Jefferson county; G. A. Crawford, Bourbon county; John Speer, Kansas Tribune; A. Low, Doniphan; R. W. Jenkins, Pottawatomie county; Ed. Russell, Leavenworth; J. H. Pillsbury, Editor Manhattan Independent; S. D. Houston, Manhattan; W. K. Marshall, Atchison; F. G. Adams, Kennekuk; P. L. Hubbard, Atchison; A. Hunting, Manhattan; J. B. Abbott, De Soto; Joseph Denison, Manhattan; T. H. Baker, Manhattan, H. W. Farnsworth, Topeka; I. H. Smith, Topeka; D. R. Anthony, Leavenworth; G. W. Higginbotham, Manhattan; John Pipher, Manhattan, R. L. Harford, Manhattan; Jas. Humphrey, Manhattan; Wm McKay, Manhattan; R. P. Duvall, Manhattan; Pardee Butler, Pardee; and L. F. Green, Baldwin City. Only the language restricting voting to "loyal" persons was passed in the election on November 5, 1867. Blacks and women were not given voting rights as a result of the 1867 election.

Aerial photographs of Leavenworth County, Kansas
Date: August 05, 1963
These five aerial photographs show the Union Pacific Railroad line in Leavenworth, Kansas, as well as parts of Leavenworth and the Missouri River.

Agreement, Construction of Office Building in Leavenworth
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: September 29, 1855
A. H. Reeder enters into an agreement with H. M. Hook for the latter to "erect" an office building on lot #8, block #3 of Leavenworth, Kansas Territory. Hook agrees to build the structure, "16 feet by 32 feet similar to the office of M. I. Parrot" (perhaps, Marcus J. Parrott) for $400. Hook is to be paid out of the rent received on this property when finished, as well as from what rent he receives on three other properties he has leased from Reeder.

A hanging in Kansas
Creator: Topeka State Journal Company
Date: February 18, 1916
This newspaper article published in the Topeka State Journal illustrates the confusion surrounding the history of state death penalty laws in Kansas. The article concerns the possible execution, under federal law, of a convict at the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth. The article claims that should this execution proceed "Kansas will see its first legal hanging in its history as a state." The article concludes by saying "that there never has been a hanging under state law in Kansas." In fact, between 1862-1888 there were nine legal executions in Kansas under state law, three under military law, and two under federal law. The state repealed its capital punishment law in 1907.

Aiken J. Sexton correspondence
Creator: Sexton, A.J.
Date: 1862
Letters from Aiken J. Sexton to his wife, Catherine. Aiken was a private from Company E of the 12th Wisconsin Volunteers and wrote these letters as he traveled through Kansas during the Civil War.

Akers, Logan & Company, Kansas Territory
Creator: Akers, Logan & Co.
An advertisement for Akers, Logan & Company, describing the services it provided as a general land and real estate company in Leavenworth City and Lecompton, Kansas Territory.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Guthrie, Abelard
Date: January 8, 1859
Albert Morton wrote from Leavenworth City, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Morton reported that there was "a good deal of excitement out for Pikes Peak" and many Leavenworth citizens spoke of traveling there to dig for gold the following spring. His investments were not earning him much money, and he expressed his desire to sell land in order to pay what he owed to Hill and Abelard Guthrie.

Albert C. Morton to Hiram Hill
Creator: Morton, Albert C.
Date: October 30, 1858
Albert Morton wrote from Leavenworth City, Kansas Territory, to Hiram Hill in Massachusetts. Morton had "given up living in Quindaro" and planned to settle in Leavenworth City. Recently ill, he had left Quindaro along with many settlers and business owners. Morton reported that Abelard Guthrie continued to be optimistic about Quindaro's prospects for survival, but he remained skeptical. If Hill still planned to visit Quindaro in the spring, Morton would meet him there.

Alexander Caldwell home in Leavenworth, Kansas
Date: Between 1885 and 1890
This is a tintype showing Alexander Caldwell's home in Leavenworth, Kansas. Born at Drakes Ferry, Pennsylvania, in 1830, Alexander Caldwell came to Leavenworth in 1861 and worked in the freighting business. Later, he was involved in manufacturing and banking. Caldwell, a Republican, served in the U.S. Senate from March 4, 1871 to March 24, 1873. He resigned from office under a cloud of corruption in 1873 and pursued his business interests in Leavenworth and Kansas City until his death on May 19, 1917.

Alexander Majors
Date: Between 1856 and 1859
Photo of Alexander Majors, who was involved in the freighting business and formed a partnership with William H. Russell. They established headquarters in Leavenworth, Kansas, where they transported supplies to Forts Laramie and Kearny. Later, William B. Waddell joined their firm and it became Russell, Majors and Waddell. They were known as the largest freight contractors for the government in the West.

Alson C. Davis to John A. Halderman
Creator: Davis, Alson C.
Date: June 19, 1857
Alson C. Davis, a Democrat legislator and party leader from Leavenworth (later Wyandotte) County, writes from Wyandotte that he strongly favors "the establishment of a first class democratic paper" in Leavenworth, Kansas Territory. Davis believes this was vital "to the Cincinnati Platform Democracy," and is willing to pledge an additional $400 to the cause. A Mr. Beach had previously offered to give John Halderman "a bonus of two thousand dollars" with which to start such a newspaper.

An Act to provide for the election of Delegates to a Convention to frame a State Constitution
Creator: Deitzler, George Washington, 1826-1884
Date: 1858
This act pertains to the election of delegates to the Leavenworth Constitutional Convention in the Kansas Territory.

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Haldeman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: August 11, 1856
In this letter to John A. Haldeman, Andrew H. Reeder discusses the "sacking of Lawrence," the loss of papers related to the sale on lands that once belonged to Indians, and the use of Haldeman as his agent for his lots in Leavenworth, Kansas. As Reeder's letter indicates, the transition of Indian lands into the hands of white settlers was often quite difficult and added to tension levels in Kansas in the wake of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Halderman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: October 22, 1856
Former Kansas Territory Governor Andrew H. Reeder writes to John Halderman from Easton, Pennsylvania, regarding his business affairs and his desire to have Halderman act as his attorney and agent. Reeder also gives brief attention to the political situation in Kansas Territory and the nation, mentioning the congressional committee investigating the Kansas affairs, the "horrible state of things . . .in our unfortunate Territory," and his belief that, although James Buchanan would win the presidential contest in 1856, "the Republican party is bound to sweep the North within the next four years."

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Halderman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: January 9, 1857
From the National Hotel in Washington, Andrew Reeder advises John Halderman on the disposition of some business matters, especially those related to his Leavenworth lots. He comments on a variety of subjects including his desire "to return to Kansas in the spring," and to have some long-term impact on the growth and development of Leavenworth. Reeder also mentions his influence with "some of the men who will probably control the Pacific [Rail] Road when it is built," his desire to help Leavenworth secure the eastern Kansas terminus, and his activity with the National Kansas Committee. Although he had no interest in the rival town of Quindaro, he intends to "help build up" that city if he is not "fairly dealt with" in Leavenworth.

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Halderman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: August 11, 1856
The former governor writes this letter from Easton, Pennsylvania, to his former secretary and attorney, John A. Halderman, in order to secure Halderman's services to retrieve some personal papers and settle some matters of business pertaining to town lots and shares. According to Reeder, "the Sheriff posse at the sacking of Lawrence broke open my trunk and stole the contents. The clothing is probably by this time worn out," and he is not concerned about other contents, with the exception of "some private papers" that someone had informed him could be retrieved. He asks Halderman to get the papers, which included "certificates of stock in Leavenworth, Tecumseh, Lecompton, Lawrence, Easton, Pawnee" etc., and then take care of business matters that are reflected therein. Reeder also asks Halderman "to attend to my Leavenworth lots" and explains in considerable detail about these matters.

Andrew H. Reeder to John A. Halderman
Creator: Reeder, Andrew H. (Andrew Horatio), 1807-1864
Date: January 14, 1857
In this letter from Washington, D.C., dated January 14, 1857, Reeder writes at length of a visit with W. H. Russell of Leavenworth (William H. Russell of Russell, Majors & Waddell), who believed the business climate was improving and that Reeder's lots were safe. Russell advises Reeder not to sell anything until value increases and volunteers to help Reeder reclaim the personal papers he lost during the sack of Lawrence.

Andrew J. Mead to John A. Haldeman
Date: July 12, 1856
In this letter to John A. Haldeman, Andrew J. Mead asks if he knows of a portion of the Wyandotte Float that was available for sale. The Wyandotte Floats were originally set aside for the Wyandotte Tribe. However, the flexible nature of the Floats allowed them to be more easily transferred to white settlers once the U.S. Government decided to remove Native Indians from the newly created territories of Kansas and Nebraska.

Andrew Jackson Isacks to General James William Denver
Creator: Isacks, Andrew Jackson
Date: February 01, 1858
In this letter to General James W. Denver, Kansas Territory Attorney General Andrew J. Isacks addresses his recent purchase of the "lands of the Christian Indians." Isacks explains that the Christian Indians were "content to live upon any other four sections of land that I might get for them, if the Delawares were not disposed to receive them."

Appeal for Pardon - Harry E. Monk
Creator: Kansas. Governor (1915-1919: Capper)
Date: 1915
This file includes general correspondence relating to an appeal for pardon for Harry E. Monk. The letter by Harry E. Monk explains that he is in jail in Leavenworth and needs to provide support for his wife and child. Monk is asking Governor Capper to reconsider his case which the Governor's office responds that they have no jurisdiction in jail sentences. This is part of a bigger collection of Governor Arthur Capper correspondence.