Fort Leavenworth

        Still active, Fort Leavenworth remains the oldest active Army post on the Mississippi river. It is also the first building in Kansas territory. The fort has been providing over 170 years of service for our military. Another name for the Fort is Cantonment Leavenworth, a man named Henry Leavenworth had established this Fort on May 8th 1827. This Fort was began as a quartermaster depot, arsenal and troop post. It also protected  the fur trade on the Santa Fe Trail. In 1829 the people had to evacuate the fort. Kickapoo Indians used the fort until 1829. After 1832 this Fort Leavenworth had become a destination for soldiers, surveyors and settlers that were passing through to the west. They had military expeditions in 1857-1858 that brought Mormon into Utah. This fort has a long rich history that runs through the Civil War and into the current day.

Front of Fort Leavenworth

         The creator of Fort Leavenworth - Henry Leavenworth - was a very educated man. He was born in 1783 and became a lawyer before entering the army. He was the colonel of the 25th U.S infantry. After he had gone to Prairie du Chien as an Indian agent he was made lieutenant-colonel of the Fifth Infantry. In 1833 after the building of Fort Leavenworth he had received the rank brigadier-general. In 1834 he was commanding an expedition to create relationships between the U.S and the Comanche, Kiowa, and Wichita nations. During this exposition he died.

Sign marking the fort