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University Daily Kansan, August 18, 1983
History gives Lecompton sense of pride
By CHRIS KABERLINE Staff Reporter
Lawrence hardly knew where Lecompton was. Topeka hardly knew where Lecompton was. So the residents of Lecompton started doing something about it and in 1969 they began raising funds to refurbish Lane University.
Lecompte, a town of about 600,
located 14 miles northwest of Law-
rence.
"We started the project to refurbish Lane because Lecompton is a very historical town. It probably has the best waterways in many town." Mayor Howard Duncan said.
THE LECOMPTON HISTORICAL Society spent 13 years sponsoring bake sales, ice cream socials and submitting federal aid applications before Lane was finally refurbished in June 1982 and rededicated as a museum of general history of the Lecompton and Douglas County area.
About 70 residents make up the society and meet once a month for a covered-dish supper and discussion.
"We were tickled pink about 13 months ago when Lane was rededicated." Duncan said. "It's part of our sense of identity for our community. It's the second best general purpose museum that I've ever seen. The first best is the Smithsonian in Washington D.C."
Dorothy Shaner, a member of the Lecompton Historical Society, said that museum exhibits include such relics as an 1856 hand plow, a stone foot warmer, and a leather stove. The norer's log cabin, and a marble-topped table that once graced the home of a
now-ruined govenor's mansion near Lecompton.
OTHER DISPLAYS are exhibited by theme, such as the music room, the art room, and the farm room.
Of interest in the farm room is a display depicting the theme, "a woman's work is never done." Shaner said that a mannequin, dressed in country attire, was moved daily to various household tasks.
"If she's not ironing, she's making butter." Shaner said.
The city's claim to fame began when it became territorial capital of Kansas in 1868.
Residents of the city expected to make Lecompton not only the capital of the territory and the future state, but to make it a large city as well.
make it a large center of pro-slavery activity in the Kansas Territory.
PROMINENT BUILDINGS in the city included the land office, stores and five hotels. Today only remnants of the past stair to attest to the hubbah of an urban center.
Constitution Hall, located on Main Street, stands as the territory's first officially designated capital building and the scene of the first Lecompont Constitution — a pro-slavery document commissioned members of the Territorial Legislature.
"Constitution Hall is a usable building now," Duncan said. "It was built for the Kansas House and Senate to meet.
proposed territorial statehouse, which stands todav as Lane University.
it was to have been a large stone
capital building, and had it been
built in the style of the Greeks.
In 1855 construction began on the
CONGRESS APPROPRIATED $50,000 to build the statehouse, but the money was spent before the walls reached one story.
Work was discontinued and the unfinned structure was converted into
In 1865 the remains of the fort were donated to Lane University by the state. It was on this foundation that construction began and was finally finished in 1882.
The university, affiliated with the Evangelical United Brethren Church, was named for U.S. Sen. James Lane who promised a $3,000 contribution for building. Accounts vary of how much money was actually received from Lane.
PAUL BAHNMAIER, president of the Lecompte Historical Society, said, "There seems to be several versions. Parts say Lane didn't fulfill or pay any of it. University officials proposed that they would name the school after the person who pledged the most money. Senator Lane seized on the chance to embarrass the city by having to name a university after a free-State advocate."
The university is best known for two of its students, Ida Elizabeth Stover and David J. Eisenhower, parents of former president Dwight D. Eisenhower. The two met and were married while at Lane University.
In 1975 the hall was listed in the National Historic Register.
THE OTHER HISTORICAL building was known as the Windsor Hotel and is now a Methodist Church.
modern day descendant is the church school of Westmar College in Lemans, Iowa. The Lane Building, which served as college until 1928, was abandoned in 1940.
Two other historical buildings still stand in Lecompton. One is the Radical Museum, which was built by Robert C. Wheeler.
Lane University closed in 1903 and its
Located across the street from the church is the city park which marks the place where the Rowena Hotel used to stand.
"These landmarks are some of the oldest in Kansas," Bahmahrie said.
The hotel was the home of Lane University from 1865 until it moved to the Lane Building in 1882. After the building was built, she became a residence hall for the school.
Constitution Hall was built in 1855, the Rowena Hotel was built in 1856, and the Radical Evangelical United Brethren Church was built around 1859.
The extent of Lecompton's history
is not always been known. Sharer
said.
"LECOMPTON HAD the best kept secret in Kansas. The winners of the civil war put our history under the bed. They didn't want to discuss it," she
Since the reedification of the Lanre
building, the reelection is becoming an
important part of the city's identity.
Group handles rip-offs offers free counseling
By GENE HUNTER Staff Reporter
KU students who need help with consumer problems, such as troubles with their landlords, suspected mail order rip-offs, or car repair bills that exceed the budget than expected, can and free counseling from the Consumer Affairs Association.
The association, which has offices at 819 Massachusetts St. and on the third floor of the Kansas Union, counsels about 3,200 people a year on consumer problems, according to Clyde Chapman. He said 1,200 of these were KU Students.
CHAPMAN SAID that disputes between landlords and tenants, such as complaints about landlords not receiving rent from tenants, were the most common problem.
Chapman said that consumer complaints should be filed at his office. He said that the business against which the company is involved would be notified and asked to respond.
He said he would then try to negotiate a settlement between the two parties. Chapman said that he was successful in reaching a settlement acceptable to the consumer in about 80 percent of the cases he handled.
The association was founded in 1972, Chapman said, when the sentiment for consumer advocacy was more militant than it is today.
CHAPMAN, WHO HAS been with Consumer Affairs since 1903, said that research on this issue is ongoing.
took a more defensive point of view in dealing with businesses about concern.
"They seemed to take a Ralph Nader type philosophy." "Every other woman has been told to have an open mind."
Nowadays, Chapman said, he tries to objectively mediate a solution between the two groups.
"That was not a reasonable approach."
"If does not do you any good to take an adversarial role for one consumer when your true mission is to provide service and relief for all consumers, he
1) may deal with consumer 'A' one time but I'll deal with business B 30 times.
Chapman said that most established Lawrence businesses cooperated with him and that usually only "fly by night" businesses were uncooperative
CONSUMER AFFMRS received $12,400, or about 38 percent of its total budget, from Student Activity Fees for 1984.
It also receives money from the
taxes and federal revenue
charge funds.
Both the office in the Union and the office downtown have free booklets on many kinds of consumer problems. Consumer Affairs also keeps files on consumer complaints that have been filed against businesses.
Chapman said he did not yet know what the tail hours for the Union office would be. The office at 819 Massachusetts Ave. at 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Kansas City area offers entertainment that will please all tastes
By CHRIS McMENEMY Staff Reporter
Yet there is more to the city than the well-known places.
Visitors to the Kansas City area can take in a Royals game at the Truman Sports Complex or stand on the new EXTREMERI FLOREAt Worlds of Fun.
For the animal lover, there is the Swope Park Zoo, I-435 and Gregory Boulevard, Kansas City, Mo., which features an ape house and water-fowl exhibit. The park is open 9 a.m. to 5 n.m. daily; admission is $1.50.
THOSE WHO PREFER water to land might want to try a riverboat ride.
Cruises take place on afternoons or on weekend nights. Prices range from
$5 to $17.50, and some night rides include a buffet dinner. Certain rides require reservations. Call (816) 842-0027 for more information.
After an afternoon on the river, some might enjoy an evening hay ride.
Kansas City River河boat Inc., 1 Grand Ave, Kansas City. Mo., can provide riders a cruise on the Missouri River in connection with the commentary of the history of the river.
Benjamin's Stables, 6401 E. 87th St.
Kansas City, Mo., offers horseback rides as well as hayrides complete with a bonfire and cookout facilities. The cost of a horseback ride is $6.25 an hour, and the cost of a hayride is $3.65 a person for groups of 10 or more. Call (816) 761-5055 for more information.
FOR THE NOSTALGIC, Pride of Kansas City, 3328 Harrison St., Kansas City, Mo. provides a 20-minute ride in a drawn rusted carriage from the 1900s.
Rides start at Svitev Square on the
front of the person or $20 for a
pamela's private ride.
For a faster pace, the Malibu Grand Prix, 11200 West 87th St., Lenexa, offers scaled-down Grand Prix races.
The cars are capable of going 70 mph.
After obtaining a Malibu Racing License for $2.50, laps around the track or taking a lap (minimum) or a skis for $9.50
To see live entertainment, try the Uptown Theatre, 3706 Broadway St., Kansas City, Mo.
Seats range from $5 to $15 and concerts are varied. Call (816) 756-3371 for concert information.
FOR A DIFFERENT TYPE of live entertainment, two dinner playhouses in Kansas City feature musicals and romantic or light comedies.
Waldo Astoria, 7428 Washington St.,
and Tiffany's Attic, 5028 Main St., both
in Kansas City, Mo., offer dinner with a
current production.
Shows take place nightly and Sunday afternoons, and costs range from $13 to $17.95. Call 1-561-9876 for information.
Although the KC stockyards are not as publicized as at one time, Kansas
City is still one of the nation's largest stock and feed markets.
Real cattle and cattlemen can be seen in the sales pavilion at the Auction Center in the Livestock Building, 16th and Genesee streets, Kansas City, Mp.
For a frantic afternoon, visit the Board of Trade 488 and main streets. KING STREET
The Board of Trade is headquarters of the nation's second busiest grain exchange. There's a visitors gallery in the two-story trading floor
TRY AN OPEN-AIR market for a new way to shop. City Market, in the area of 5th and Walnut streets, Kansas City, Mo., contains everything from garden fresh vegetables and fruits to plants to straw hats and T-shirts.
Another way to see the Kansas City area would be to take a bus tour.
Gray Line Tours of Kansas City, 1212 E 10th St., Kansas City, Mo. offers two-to-three-hour tours of Kansas
City, Call (816) 471-5996 for rates and times.
For those who would like their entertainment to be a little more educational, the Kansas City area has many museums.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Fine Art, 4525 Oak St., Kansas City, Mo. and the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, U.S. Highway 24 and Delaware Independence, Mo. are two of the best known museums, but there are more.
FOR THOSE INTERESTED in history, the Kansas City Museum of History and Science. 3218 Gladstone Blvd., Kansas City, Mo., contains exhibits of frontier life and early regional history.
The museum is housed in a 70-room mansion built by R.A. Long, a lumber man.
Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday through Saturday and noon to
4:30 p.m. Sunday.
In Missouri get a feel for trouters days at Fort Osage, four miles north of U.S. 24 on the Buckner Tarsney Road in Biblesy, Mio.
FORT OSAGE WAS the first U.S. outpost in the Louisiana Purchase and has been reconstructed for the public. The building is a m. to 7 p.m. and that appears no ice.
Also depicting the past is Missouri Town on the eastern side of Lake Jasper.
Missouri; Town contains authentic homes and buildings and is designed to show a typical town of 1855. The town features a church, blacksmith shop, herb garden and livestock. It is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, and there is
There are plenty of more sites to visit in Kansas City.
If interested, contact the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City Inc., 1100 Main St., suite 2550, Kansas City Mo., or call (816) 221-5242
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