LECOMPTON—SLAVERY CAPITAL

THREE MILES NORTH IS LECOMPTON, FAMOUS IN THE LATTER 1850'S AS HEADQUARTERS OF THE PROSLAVERY PARTY IN KANSAS. THE "BOGUS" LEGISLATURE OF 1855 MADE IT THE TERRITORIAL CAPITAL AND CONGRESS APPROPRIATED $50,000 FOR A CAPITOL BUILDING WHICH WAS NEVER COMPLETED. LECOMPTON WAS SERVED BY STAGECOACH, STEAMBOAT AND FERRY. WITH A LAND OFFICE AND OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES, IT PROSPERED UNTIL THE DOWNFALL OF THE SLAVE POWER IN KANSAS. GOV. CHARLES ROBINSON AND MANY FREE-STATE LEADERS WERE IMPRISONED THERE DURING 1856-1857. STILL TO BE SEEN ARE THE LEGISLATIVE HALL IN WHICH THE LECOMPTON CONSTITUTION WAS FRAMED IN 1857, AND THE ROWENA HOTEL, LONE SURVIVOR OF THE BOOM-DAY HOSTELRIES. "FORT TITUS," HOME OF PROSLAVERY LEADER HENRY TITUS, ATTACKED AND BURNED BY FREE-STATE MEN IN 1856, WAS 2½ MILES NORTH OF THIS MARKER. THREE MILES NORTHEAST IS THE RESIDENCE BUILT BY ACTING GOV. FREDERICK STANTON IN 1857, NOW OWNED BY FORMER SECRETARY OF WAR HARRY H. WOODRING.