Lawrence: University Town Forged in Bleeding Kansas
Lawrence was founded in 1854 by the New England Emigrant Aid Company, which sent free-state settlers to Kansas Territory to influence the vote on whether the territory would enter the Union as a slave or free state. The town became a focal point of the "Bleeding Kansas" violence that preceded the Civil War. On August 21, 1863, William Quantrill led a force of roughly 450 Confederate guerrillas into Lawrence and killed at least 150 men and boys, burning much of the town.
The University of Kansas, established in 1866 on Mount Oread overlooking the town, dominates the local economy and culture. KU enrolls around 28,000 students and runs a major research operation. Allen Fieldhouse, built in 1955, is where the Jayhawks play basketball in one of the most storied programs in college sports. James Naismith, who invented basketball, coached at KU from 1898 to 1907.
Massachusetts Street, the main commercial corridor, runs through downtown and is lined with independent shops, restaurants, and bars. The Watkins Museum of History covers Douglas County's past from pre-settlement through the present. Lawrence has a population near 94,000 and sits about 40 miles west of Kansas City on Interstate 70.
Haskell Indian Nations University, a federally operated institution for Native American students, sits on the city's south side. The Wetlands Preserve adjacent to Haskell's campus covers 573 acres and provides habitat for migratory birds. Lawrence's housing market tightens during the academic year, and the University's footprint extends well beyond the campus proper into the local economy.
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Lawrence was founded in 1854 by the New England Emigrant Aid Company, which sent free-state settlers to Kansas Territory to influence the vote on whether the territory would enter the Union as a slave or free state. The town became a focal point of the "Bleeding Kansas" violence that preceded the Civil War. On August 21, 1863, William Quantrill led a force of roughly 450 Confederate guerrillas into Lawrence and killed at least 150 men and boys, burning much of the town.
The University of Kansas, established in 1866 on Mount Oread overlooking the town, dominates the local economy and culture. KU enrolls around 28,000 students and runs a major research operation. Allen Fieldhouse, built in 1955, is where the Jayhawks play basketball in one of the most storied programs in college sports. James Naismith, who invented basketball, coached at KU from 1898 to 1907.
Massachusetts Street, the main commercial corridor, runs through downtown and is lined with independent shops, restaurants, and bars. The Watkins Museum of History covers Douglas County's past from pre-settlement through the present. Lawrence has a population near 94,000 and sits about 40 miles west of Kansas City on Interstate 70.
Haskell Indian Nations University, a federally operated institution for Native American students, sits on the city's south side. The Wetlands Preserve adjacent to Haskell's campus covers 573 acres and provides habitat for migratory birds. Lawrence's housing market tightens during the academic year, and the University's footprint extends well beyond the campus proper into the local economy.
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