Field Trip Friday: Lecompton

   We had a rough week this week, so we definitely were in need of the fun day that our Field Trip Friday promises.  Halfway between our house and Ducky & Grandma's place is Lecompton, an important location during Territorial Kansas.  The kids have mentioned it several times on our trips to see the folks, so it was a natural choice for a field trip:) Our first stop was Constitution Hall. 

Constitution Hall was built in 1856 (the oldest existing woodframe structure in Kansas) and housed a land office in the lower level and a meeting hall in the second floor.  This is where the Kansas Constitutional Convention met in 1857 in order to gain statehood and then passed a pro-slavery constitution (which was then defeated).  Did you know that they attempted 4 different constitutions during this "Bloody Kansas" period before they got it right?

2nd floor in Constitution Hall where they drafted the constitution (background)

  This museum was family friendly (it only cost $5 for the kids & I for admittance), it had an open floor plan and a "kid area" with puzzles & games.  There was also a jail on the ground from early Lecompton days that the kids could walk in. 

  We also stopped at the Territorial Capital building, which is where the Kansas capital had been planned and they had even started building the foundation for it until plans were changed and it was moved to Topeka.  The land was then donated to be Lane University then this building was built on part of the Territorial Capital foundation. 

The building is the county historical society and makes a great use of its rooms (it looks like you're walking into one of your great-grandma's houses). 

This museum was free and had 2 floors and a basement full of exhibits.  The top floor had a "chapel" where it sounds like they host historical re-enactments from time to time (going to have to go back for that!).  The kids really enjoyed this and made me promise to take them back (Shorty was needing a nap and went into hyperdrive, so we cut it shorter than we wanted).