Located on the front lawn of the former Kansas State Penitentiary, the Lansing Historical Society and Museum is a beacon of our community’s unique history. It preserves and shares the rich heritage of our town, woven through the threads of industry—railroads, Prisons, and Mining.
What sets our Museum apart? It’s not just a museum, it’s a journey through time. Housed in a fully restored 1887 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway depot, a pivotal player in our country’s railroad history, the Museum offers a unique experience. Our collection of photographs, spanning from the early days of the prisons in the area to the school pictures dating back to 1908, is a treasure trove for history enthusiasts.
Mission Statement
Our mission is clear: to share the rich history of Delaware Township. We do this through our historic Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway depot and our extensive collections. Our dedication to collecting, preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting authentic historical materials is what sets us apart.
Our Museum is more than just a collection of artifacts. We’re on a mission to preserve the history of Delaware Township, the Town of Progress, the City of Lansing, the Kansas State Penitentiary at Lansing, and the United States Penitentiary at Leavenworth, KS. Through our extensive collection of photographs and artifacts, we aim to broaden the public’s historical knowledge and keep these important stories alive.
Trains and Trolleys
At the height of the Civil War, with unity so much on his mind, President Abraham Lincoln sought a way to connect and secure the great expanse of our nation. It came in the form of the transcontinental railroad. With it came a host of smaller railroads going through towns like Lansing, Maltby, Pope, Ettenson, Delaware, Richardson, Wadsworth, and Bain City. Some of these towns are but a memory today. Lansing saw all of these railroads making their way through Delaware Township, including the Kansas City-Western Railway Co. From timetables to engineering documents, maps to books, we offer a wealth of railroad information.
The Museum keeps those memories alive with newspaper articles from the day, artifacts, and historical photographs.
The Coal Mines
The discovery of coal in the area opened up three coal mines in Delaware Township: Carr, Brighton, and the prison. Kansas State Prison mined coal for years, using this rich ore to fuel not only the prison but also many of the state buildings.
Kansas State Penitentiary
The Kansas State Penitentiary in Lansing is one of the oldest correctional institutions in the country. It started as early as 1859 when the Constitution of Territorial Kansas authorized it. Architect Erasmus T. Carr, inspired by the Illinois State Prison at Joliet, designed the prison, and construction took five years, starting in 1864. In its early days, the prison mandated that all officials live nearby, and a town known as the Town of Progress grew around the prison.
Until 1965, KSP conducted hangings for state, federal, and military prisoners. Lowell Andrews, a University of Kansas student, murdered his parents and sister in the Wolcott, Kansas family home on November28, 1958 and he would be executed in 1962.
Perry Smith and Richard Hickock followed him to the gallows on April 14, 1965. They were found guilty of killing four members of the Clutter family of Holcomb, Kansas. The murders were the subject of Truman Capote’s novel, In Cold Blood.
George York and James Latham would be the last to hang on the gallows of KSP. They were two privates found guilty of a killing spree in 1961 and were hung from the gallows June 22, 1965.
The infamous gallows once occupied a corner of the warehouse before being dismantled and acquired by the Kansas State Historical Society.
Perry Smith
Richard “Dick” Hickock
History of
Delaware Township
Delaware Township, home to the towns of Lansing, Progress, Brighton, Delaware, Richardson, Morgantown, Xavier, Wadsworth, and Bain City, is the heart of our community’s history. The Lansing Historical Society and Museum celebrates the unique stories of these communities through our extensive collections, ensuring that their contributions are never forgotten.
In the 1880s, L.V. Harkness, vice president of Standard Oil, began buying hundreds of acres of land there. He built the Brighton Mine, the Brighton Mine Railroad, and the town of Brighton because he said he saw the promise of a profitable future. The Brighton miners ultimately went on strike, and the owner closed it.
Cattle farms and apple orchards flourished in the rolling hills that made up the countryside. One of those ranches was the Ryan Brothers Cattle Farm. The four brothers were nationally known for their cattle and the thousands upon thousands of acres of land they owned in California, Texas, Montana, and Kansas. Matt Ryan would die a tragic death while riding his horse on the farm. The place of his death is now the site of Lansing High School.
It was said that George C. Richardson was the first child born in Leavenworth. George would be a business success with the Missouri Valley Orchard Company and the Carr Mine.