Tour Stop

Directions: The Kansas Museum of History [ Waypoint = N39 3.333 W95 46.467 ] is located at 6425 SW 6th Ave in Topeka, KS 66615.

• Follow Kansas Highway 75 south for about 28 miles before getting onto Interstate 70 heading west.
• Take Exit 356 off of Interstate 70 in Topeka, Kansas.
• Turn right (north) at SW Wanamaker Road.
• Just ahead at the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit onto SW 6th Avenue, heading west.
• After 0.9 miles on SW 6th Avenue, you should arrive at the parking lot for the museum.

Description: The Kansas Museum of History has a display of artifacts from the period during Bleeding Kansas. These artifacts are located in the permanent Civil War Exhibit in the Main Gallery of the museum. These photos are just a few of the artifacts on display at the museum.

This is a photo of some of the artifacts in the exhibit. There is the remains of a cannon used by pro-slavery militia during the Sack of Lawrence. The “Admit Me Free” flag was use by free-state supporters I rally's across the country. The photo also shows the tombstone of David C. Buffum, a free-state man killed by the Kickapoo Rangers in September of 1856. Buffum arrived in Kansas Territory as part of the second party of emigrants sponsored by the New England Emigrant Aid Company.

This photo shows some of the type from the Lawrence Herald Freedom newspaper that was thrown into the Kansas River during the Sack of Lawrence. Later that year some of the type would be fished out of the river by free-state men and melted into the cannon balls used against pro-slavery men during the Battle of Fort Titus. The 6-pound cannon ball was one of many fired at the Free State Hotel during the Sack of Lawrence.

This is a photo of the “Abbott Howitzer” which was manufactured in Massachusetts and then smuggled into Lawrence by free-state supporters. The howitzer was captured by pro-slavery militia during the Sack of Lawrence, but later recaptured by free-state militia after the Battle of Fort Titus.