Constitutional Hall and Territorial Capital Tour

The Justice Committee would like to sponsor a vocational visit to Lecompton, KS. Lecompton, KS is the site for two museums that played an important part in pre-Civil War history known as Bleeding Kansas. The Territorial Capital Museum was the first capital of Kansas before it became a state. The Constitution Hall Museum is where the “Lecompton Constitution” was drafted. That Kansas State Constitution would have admitted Kansas as a slave state. It was subsequently rejected by Congress and, as a result, Kansas was admitted as a free state in 1861 just prior to the start of the Civil War.

In addition to the exhibits at the museums, we have arranged for a one-hour re-enactment presentation. The plays are titled Bleeding Kansas and Kansas Territory Characters and are described as: The plays reveal the wide spectrum of personalities and opinions which existed in Kansas Territory form 1854 – 1861. There were two governments in Kansas (one supporting slaves and the other abolition) and each considered the other bogus.

Lecompton is 53 miles (54 minutes) from the Plaza. For those that want to carpool, we will meet at the Grand Street Café parking lot at 8:30 AM. Others should meet at the Territorial Capital Museum no later than 10 AM. 640 E Woodson Ave, Lecompton, KS 66050.

There is a restaurant in Lecompton, Aunt Netter’s. The museums have suggested that we plan to view the plays, tour the Territorial Capital Museum, break for lunch (there is only one restaurant in Lecompton) and then view the Constitutional Hall Museum. However, once the plays are concluded, everybody is free to roam as they please.

The cost for the museums is $5 for each museum and $5 for the plays, $15 total.