The History of Lawrence, KSThe city of Lawrence, located in eastern Kansas just 41 miles west of Kansas City, has a rich and dramatic history that dates back to the Bleeding Kansas era that preceded the Civil War. The city was founded in 1854 on behalf of the New England Emigrant Aid Company in order to help secure the state’s anti-slavery position, and received its name from prominent politician and abolitionist Amos Adams Lawrence. During the Civil War, Lawrence became a hotbed of violence between opposing groups from Kansas and Missouri, which culminated into the tragic Lawrence Massacre of August 21, 1863; on that day, William Quantrill and a group of Confederate guerrillas ransacked the town, burning a majority of its buildings and killing nearly 200 men. At the culmination of the war, residents of Lawrence began to recover and rebuild, and one of the steps they took to secure their city’s future was to establish the University of Kansas in 1865 on 40 acres of land donated by first Kansas Governor Charles Robinson. In the years after, Lawrence became a city of firsts as the site of operations for the first Kansas railroad in 1871, and the site of the state’s first telephone installation in 1877.
© 2008 Reliance Relocation Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Contributed by:  | More Local Area InformationLawrence is located in Douglas County and is conveniently situated between the larger metropolitan areas of Kansas City and the State Capital... Read moreLawrence, Kansas has so much to offer its residents—a fascinating history, arts, entertainment, and sports—all conveniently located near Kansas City... Read moreLawrence, Kansas has a growing population of around 90,000 residents, and boasts a number of accolades for its distinctive culture and histori... Read moreIn February 1857, German settlers signed contracts with Shawnee Chief Fish to purchase 774 ½ acres from the Kansas River to the south for about ... Read moreTonganoxie, Kansas is a friendly little city located in Leavenworth County, in northeast Kansas, between Kansas City and Lawrence, Kansas. I... Read moreKnown as “where the trails divide”, Gardner, Kansas has a significant place in the history of the westward expansion of the United States. Th... Read moreLeavenworth County has a unique mix of urban and rural opportunities and the city of Basehor is right in the middle of the action. Basehor is know... Read moreOttawa, Kansas offers an abundance of opportunities for residents and visitors. This city is located just off Highway I35 with an easy commute
t... Read moreTopeka, Kansas has been widely reported near the fifth most affordable metropolitan area year after year. As the capital of Kansas, it hosts th... Read moreTopeka, Kansas is the capital of the State of Kansas and is located at the intersection of I-70 and US Highway 75. The history of Topeka i... Read moreLeavenworth, Kansas became the first city of the newly established Kansas Territory in 1854 and is still leading the way into the future. Leavenwort... Read moreThe quaint community of Merriam, Kansas is conveniently located only 8 minutes from Downtown Kansas City. With many different housing option... Read moreThe city of Overland Park is part of Johnson County in northeast Kansas, approximately 15 miles southwest of Kansas City. With a history datin... Read moreWith so much to offer its residents—an array of career opportunities, exciting attractions, and overall high quality of life—it is no wonder that s... Read moreOverland Park offers its residents a wide variety of attractions that include theatre and the arts, shopping, outdoor recreation and famil... Read moreThe City of Mission, Kansas includes many restaurants, shopping centers and attractions to enjoy. People come to Mission from all directions to wor... Read moreLocated just south of the Kansas City Metro area, Miami County (population of nearly 31,000), Kansas has several growing communities that offe... Read moreParkville, Missouri is a diverse community steeped in history, the first plat of the town was filed in 1844. Originally a thriving river port fo... Read moreIn 1922, the J.C. Nichols Company purchased the 37.65 acres of once-Native American land. The city provides a sense of community to its citizens.... Read moreKansas City, Kansas has so much to offer its residents; a long history starting on the banks of the Kaw River in the early 1800s to
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