Step into history with a guided tour of the historic Kansas State Penitentiary, where stories of notorious inmates, daring escapes, and a rich past come to life. Our tours are a unique opportunity to explore this iconic landmark, offering a glimpse into the architecture, culture, and justice system of its time.
These popular tours often sell out, so we strongly encourage you to book ahead to secure your preferred day and time. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a true crime fan, or simply curious about this one-of-a-kind site, you will want to take advantage of it!
Why Book Ahead?
Guaranteed access on your preferred date and time
Limited group sizes for a more personalized experience
Tours fill up quickly – don’t wait!
Reserve your spot today and make history part of your journey!
Hey there! We are giving you a heads-up that the photography tour follows the same route as the regular tour. We’ve made the photography tour three hours instead of two because we’ve noticed that people with cameras tend to take a bit longer at each stop. We want everyone to have a great time, so we want to ensure you know that before you book.
Our tourists have been a bit puzzled about where the tours start. The fun begins right here at the Museum, where we’ve been gathering Kansas State Penitentiary memorabilia since 1991. Join us for a fascinating journey through time and history!
From left to right in the picture: Jeff Conklin, Vice President of the Lansing Historical Society and Museum; Debra Bates-Lamborn, President; Gloria Geither, the Deputy Secretary of Facility Management for the Kansas Department of Corrections; Todd Thompson, Leavenworth County Attorney; and Senator Jeff Pittman. Senator Pittman played a crucial role in the Historical Society's acquisition of the prison for tours. of the prison for tours.
On Monday, September 9, 2024, a historical moment unfolded in front of Tower One at the Kansas State Penitentiary. This institution, with a rich history dating back to 1859, has been a significant part of our community. In a gesture of utmost respect and honor, Gloria Geither, the Deputy Secretary of Facility Management for the Kansas Department of Corrections, who has been a guiding force since the beginning, handed over the keys to the institution.
On Friday the 13th, we are opening the doors of the Kansas State Penitentiary for a unique and unforgettable experience. You can secure your spot for this rare opportunity at Lansingkansashistory.com. The tours will be running throughout September, with the last one of the season on October 26th.
Don’t miss out on a truly historic event – the first annual “Behind the Walls” car show. This exclusive event, a rare opportunity to step inside KSP, will be held on Saturday, September 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Be sure to mark your calendars for this unique glimpse into the history of the Kansas State Penitentiary.
Lansing Historical Society Announces Exciting Developments for Kansas State Penitentiary Site
Lansing, KS — The Lansing Historical Society is excited to provide updates on the development at the former Kansas State Penitentiary. First proposed to the Lansing Historical Society by Kansas Senator Jeff Pittman and his wife, Leavenworth Mayor Pro Tem Holly Pittman, the proposed development – inspired by the Missouri State Penitentiary’s work – has the potential to not only save the Penitentiary from demolition and reduce the financial burden on taxpayers, but also to transform it into a thriving hub for tourism, attracting visitors from all over.
“After a comprehensive tour of the prison and a thorough understanding of the potential it holds, we unanimously agreed that this was an opportunity not to be missed,” said the Lansing Historical Society, showing their full support for the project.
The Kansas Department of Corrections and the Lansing Historical Society recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Historic Kansas State Penitentiary Site. Additionally, Senator Pittman secured state funding to stabilize the roof and walls while partners develop a comprehensive plan for the site.
“The former Penitentiary has so much history – Johnny Cash performed for prisoners there in 1970, it’s the site of some of the highest profile executions in Kansas history, and the stories from the guards and inmates from the prison’s founding during the Civil War provide a unique story that deserves to be told,” Senator Jeff Pittman said. “We’re working with stakeholders to develop branding and acquire historical artifacts to present this rich history in a compelling way to visitors.”
The project has already attracted national attention. The Discovery Channel is planning a 2-hour special at the Kansas State Penitentiary to air on Halloween. The first annual “Behind the Walls” car show is a unique event inside the prison wall of the old Penitentiary, which is scheduled for Saturday, September 28, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. And the Lansing Historical Society is developing a new website for ticket sales in the works, and a raffle for ten lucky winners, who will be the first to tour the prison, is on the horizon.
Before entering the Kansas State Penitentiary, tourists are required to sign a waiver and release of liability. A copy of the waiver will be available for signing at the Museum at 115 E. Kansas Avenue. However, if you would like to review it beforehand, we have posted it here for your convenience.
The tours will begin at the Lansing Historical Society and Museum, 115 East Kansas Ave.
The Lansing Historical Society and Museum recently erected a sign in front of the museum at 115 E. Kansas, Lansing, Ks., recognizing the achievements of local legend T.W. Bell, attorney at law.
“Honorable Turner W. Bell, the greatest Habeas Corpus Lawyer of the West” wrote the Kansas City Son in a news article referring to Bell’s defense of three labor union dynamiters. The title would stick with him throughout his 61-year career, as he would total more than 1,400 habeas corpus cases. He would practice in every court of appeals in the eight states of the judicial districts.
Turner William Bell was born into slavery at Corinth, Mississippi, April 1, 1857, according to his death records. He was the second eldest of 11 children who lived to adulthood.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Corinth became the focus of both Union and Confederate forces because two major railroads, the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, running east and west, and the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, running north and south, crossed in Corinth’s downtown.
According to Department of Iowa Grand Army of the Republic, Peter Bell (T.W.’s father), was freed after the battle of Corinth and joined the 110th United States Colored Infantry as a private. Records show he was mustered out of the service in 1865. The Bell family then moved to Dallas County, Iowa.
They settled on a farm near Adel, Iowa, where young Turner would attend school in a mostly Quaker populated area. Bell would excel in school, graduating with honors from high school. He would graduate from Drake University with a law degree, becoming the first African-American to be sworn into the Iowa Bar Association.
There are mixed reports as to when Bell joined the Leavenworth County Bar. He first appears in a Leavenworth City directory in 1887 with a law practice listed at 416 Delaware. Numerous newspaper reports refer to Bell being sworn into the Leavenworth County Bar by Judge William C. Hook in 1886.
Over the next few years, Bell would move to different offices throughout downtown Leavenworth. Several of those office buildings are still there today. It was from this secure base that Bell would indulge in his “hobby” of freeing prisoners from state and federal prisons. It is estimated that he freed more than 1,500 people. Today, habeas corpus cases are widely used to restore freedom to those who are imprisoned or in other forms of custody under state or federal institutions.
In 1915 Bell’s offices were located in the prestigious Wulfekuhler Building, along with other attorneys, according to the City Directory of that year. Bell is listed as the only ‘colored’ attorney practicing law in Leavenworth.
Kansas Defense Society T.W. Bell is seated far right, B.K. Bruce is third to his left. Securing the names of the other gentleman is a work in progress.
Bell would join the newly formed Kansas Defense Society in 1918 as legal counsel. The society was an organization instituted for “the purpose of testing the constitutional rights of the race along civil, political and other lines that may be necessary to bring about justice and sentiment in behalf of the race in this country,” The Topeka Plaindealer, 29 Nov., 1918.
The Kansas Defense Society, of which there were eight members from Leavenworth, was formed after the court martial and hangings of 19 soldiers of the 24th Infantry at Fort Sam Houston, Texas December 1917 for their participation in the Houston Riots of 1917. A Military court-martial at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, found 118 enlisted men guilty, 63 of those men were given life sentences at the Federal Penitentiary at Leavenworth. Bell would file a writ of habeas corpus in the United States Supreme Court for the release of those men. In arguing the case, Bell would cite that the order of the court martial was not in accordance with law as set out in the court martial manual and that at the time of the riot, the men were not doing soldier duty for the United States Army and the country was not at war at the time, The Leavenworth Times, May 23, 1920.
It would be through the efforts of Congressman D.R. Anthony, Jr., of Leavenworth and T.W. Bell that the life sentences of these convicted men would be commuted to sentences of ten to 15 years.
Bell married Elizabeth “Lizzie” Patterson in Leavenworth in January 1890, according to marriage license records. As the wife of T.W. Bell, Lizzie was very active in social and political circles. In 1909 she was elected as president of the State Federation of colored women’s club and in 1915 she was a delegate to the Northwestern Federation of States for Colored Women held in Chicago. Her mother Martha would live with the couple at 744 Kickapoo until her death at the age of 100 years in 1924. A story appeared in The Leavenworth Times, July 9, 1920, about Martha. She had walked from her residence at 744 Kickapoo to the voter’s registration office at the Leavenworth County Court House, where she registered herself to vote in the next election. And after resting a bit, she walked back home. The U.S. Senate had just approved the 19th Amendment on June 4, 1919, giving women the right to vote.
Bell would continue to practice law until he was the oldest member of the Leavenworth County Bar at the age of 91. Bell died August 25, 1948.
