Constitution Hall State Historic Site

08/15/2026

This flag was captured by free state troops on August 15th, 1856, at the battle of Fort Saunders, near the present day town of Lone Star, in Douglas County. It flew at the proslavery stronghold throughout the summer of 1856, until the fort was captured and destroyed.

The massive banner bears the slogan "ENFORCE THE LAWS", referring to the 1855 Laws of Kansas Territory, often called the "Bogus Laws" by antislavery Kansans, who considered the blatantly bias legal code to be illegitimate on account of the one-sided legislature that passed them.

If you'd like to read more about this flag, visit:
https://www.kansashistory.gov/kansapedia/enforce-the-laws-flag/10202

08/15/2026

After their victory at Fort Franklin on August 12th, 1856, Free State forces regrouped with the newly arrived reinforcements from Jim Lane's "Army of the North", and prepared to make an attack on the largest of the proslavery strongholds in Douglas County, Fort Saunders.

Fort Saunders was a fortified two story blockhouse in the settlement known as Treadwell, surrounded by earthworks and a large encampment of proslavery troops. It was named after proslavery settler and Captain in the Territorial Militia, James Saunders, who owned the claim where the fort stood. Colonel B.F. Treadwell commanded the post, which was manned by about 100 proslavery militiamen at the time.

In the afternoon of August 15th, 1856, several hundred antislavery troops under the overall command of James H. Lane set off for Treadwell. They approached the fort from three different directions in hopes of capturing its defenders like they had at Franklin. Upon seeing the much larger advancing enemy exchange gunfire with his pickets, Col. Treadwell ordered the immediate evacuation of the post and its contents, and led his men to the safety of the Territorial Capital in Lecompton. Lane's men rushed the earthworks, only to find it empty, aside from one enslaved African American boy, who was left by the retreating enemy.

Unable to locate the whereabouts of Treadwell's force, the free state men then loaded up their wagons with the newly captured tents, muskets, ammunition, food, and reclaimed loot found to be originally stolen during the Sacking of Lawrence, and burned the fort to the ground.

This image shows Fort Saunders and the proslavery encampment before the battle. The original daguerreotype it was copied from was taken sometime in 1856. https://www.kansasmemory.gov/item/90299

08/13/2026

In August 1856, after a summer of depredations by proslavery forces, antislavery Kansans in and around Lawrence reached a breaking point. With Jim Lane's "Army of the North" arriving in the Territory, bringing much needed relief and reinforcements, the Free State faction decided to take the offensive in what is called the "August War".

Since the Sacking of Lawrence in May, proslavery militias had been building up several fortified positions across Douglas County to keep Lawrence in check. The nearest one to Lawrence was Fort Franklin, in the settlement of Franklin, only 3 miles southeast of town. It had been the HQ of the proslavery army during the Wakarusa War last fall, and had already defended against one free state assault back in June.

On August 12th, 81 free state troops made a nighttime attack on Fort Franklin, this time capturing it after Capt. Thomas Bickerton suggested pushing a flaming wagon of hay up to the fort's walls. Its defenders surrendered, and the free state troops captured dozens of US muskets and the famed "Old Sacramento" cannon that had demolished the Free State hotel in May, proving to be an important victory by the Free State faction.



-1856 Daguerreotype showing Free State militiamen in front of Fort Franklin

08/07/2026

171 years ago today, on August 7, 1855, the Proslavery Kansas Territorial Legislature met in joint session at the Shawnee Manual Labor School in Johnson County to pick a territorial capital location:

It took a total of three seperate votes before the legislature eventually decided on Lecompton as the new capital. The results of those votes were:

The initial vote:
Leavenworth 6 One Hundred and Ten 1
Lawrence 2 Kickapoo 2
St. Bernard 12 Lecompton 9
Tecumseh 3 Whitehead 2
Douglas 2

Since no town got a majority, a second vote was held:
Tecumseh 5 St. Bernard 13
Lecompton 19 Lawrence 1

Still lacking a majority, a third vote was held:
Tecumseh 2
St. Bernard 11
Lecompton 25

08/02/2026

Henry Worrall was an artist and musician during the 19th century. Born in Liverpool, England, Worrall’s family moved to New York when he was 10. He later moved to Ohio then eventually to Kansas, and became a self taught artist, illustrator, and decorator. Worrall was also a prolific musician, composing music for guitar and banjo.

This 1877 illustration sketch done by Henry Worrall is of Constitution Hall State Historic Site

07/30/2026

George Washington Martin served as the second secretary of the Kansas Historical Society from 1899-1914.

Martin and his family came to Kansas Territory from Pennsylvania in 1857 and settled in Lecompton. George was a printer for two years in the newspaper office of the Lecompton Union, later renamed the Kansas National Democrat.

07/16/2026

On the Lecompton Constitution issue, US Senator Stephen A. Douglas from Illinois would openly defy fellow Democrat and United States President James Buchanan, as well as his Southern supporters in Congress, by strongly denouncing the fraudulent proslavery Lecompton Constitution’s attempt in 1858 to admit Kansas as the next slave state.

Regarding passing the Lecompton Constitution, Douglas is quoted as saying: “You do, and it will lead directly to civil war! I warned the anti-Lecompton Democrats of the North that the President intended to put the knife to the throat of every man who dared to think for himself on this question and carry out principles in good faith. God forbid, I said that I ever surrender my right to differ from a President of the United States for my own choice. I am not a tool of any President!”

07/05/2026

07/05/2026

Did you know that "Finding Freedom: The Promise of 1776 in Douglas County, Kansas" is a six-part exhibition exploring the realities of securing freedom for all people in Kansas? A different chapter of the exhibition is found at six museums across the county. Today we share photos of the exhibition in Lecompton at Constitution Hall. "The Kansas Controversy" explores the contentious local debate that resonated nationwide, spilling into Congress and the White House. Admission to these exhibitions is free, though donations are always greatly appreciated. We hope you'll make the time to visit all chapters of this important exhibit.

Partner sites:
Watkins Museum of History - Lawrence : Those Who Were Left Out
Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum - Lawrence : Angels of Freedom (Not yet open)
Territorial Capital Museum - Lecompton : Home of the Free, Because of the Brave
Constitution Hall - Lecompton : The Kansas Controversy
Eudora Community Museum - Eudora : Stories from the Western Border
Santa Fe Trail Historical Society - Baldwin : The Women's Spirit (at the Baldwin City Public Library)

07/05/2026