Leavenworth County, Kansas

Leavenworth County, Kansas is a county located in the northeastern part of Kansas, bordered by Platte County, Missouri to the north, Clinton County, Missouri to the northeast, Wyandotte County, Kansas to the southeast, Johnson County, Kansas to the south, and Atchison County, Kansas to the northwest. The county is part of the Kansas City, Missouri Metropolitan Area and is home to the Fort Leavenworth, a United States Army post that has been in operation since 1827. The county is also home to the Leavenworth National Cemetery, a United States National Cemetery that was established in 1862. The county seat, Leavenworth, Kansas, is the largest city in the county and is situated on the west bank of the Missouri River.

Geography

The county has a total area of 465 square miles and is bordered by the Missouri River to the north and east. The county's terrain is characterized by glaciated plains and loess hills, with the Kansas River flowing through the southern part of the county. The county is also home to several lakes and reservoirs, including Tongue Creek Lake and Perry Lake. The county's geography is similar to that of neighboring Atchison County, Kansas and Doniphan County, Kansas, with the Missouri River forming the northern border of all three counties. The county is also close to the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka, Kansas, and the Monument Rocks in Gove County, Kansas.

History

The county was established on August 25, 1855, and was named after Henry Leavenworth, a United States Army officer who was stationed at Fort Leavenworth in the 1830s. The county was one of the original 33 counties of Kansas and was formed from the Kansas Territory. The county played a significant role in the Bleeding Kansas period, with the Battle of Fort Titus taking place in the county in 1856. The county was also home to the Underground Railroad, with many abolitionists living in the county, including John Brown and William Lloyd Garrison. The county is also close to the Lawrence, Kansas area, which was a major stopping point for Oregon Trail travelers, and the Santa Fe Trail, which passed through the nearby Council Grove, Kansas.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States Census, the population of the county was 81,881 people, with a population density of 177 people per square mile. The county has a diverse population, with a mix of European Americans, African Americans, Native Americans, and Hispanic and Latino Americans. The county is also home to a large number of veterans, with many residents employed at Fort Leavenworth or other nearby military bases, such as Schriever Air Force Base and Fort Riley. The county is part of the Kansas City, Missouri Metropolitan Area, which also includes Jackson County, Missouri, Clay County, Missouri, and Platte County, Missouri. The county is also close to the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, and the Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.

Transportation

The county is served by several major highways, including Interstate 70, Interstate 435, and U.S. Route 73. The county is also home to the Amtrak Kansas City, Missouri station, which provides service to Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California. The county has a public transportation system, with buses operated by the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas and the Johnson County, Kansas Transit system. The county is also close to the Kansas City International Airport in Platte County, Missouri, and the Manhattan Regional Airport in Riley County, Kansas.

Education

The county is served by several school districts, including the Leavenworth Unified School District 453, the Basehor-Linwood Unified School District 458, and the Tonganoxie Unified School District 464. The county is also home to the University of Saint Mary, a private Catholic university that was founded in 1923. The county is close to several other institutions of higher education, including the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, the Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, and the Park University in Parkville, Missouri. The county is also home to the Leavenworth Public Library, which was established in 1855 and is one of the oldest public libraries in Kansas.

Communities

The county has several communities, including the Leavenworth, Kansas, the county seat, and the cities of Basehor, Kansas, Tonganoxie, Kansas, and Lansing, Kansas. The county is also home to several townships, including the Alexandria Township, Kansas, the Delaware Township, Kansas, and the High Prairie Township, Kansas. The county is close to several other communities, including the Kansas City, Kansas, the Overland Park, Kansas, and the Olathe, Kansas. The county is also home to the Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, a United States National Cemetery that was established in 1862, and the Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary, a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility that was established in 1895. The county is part of the Kansas City, Missouri Metropolitan Area, which also includes Jackson County, Missouri, Clay County, Missouri, and Platte County, Missouri.