Kansas Culture

City

Lawrence

Douglas County

Sacking of Lawrence, 1856: ruins of the Free State Hotel
Wikimedia Commons / Sara T. D. Robinson (1856); Public domain
Era Bleeding Kansas Linked Osawatomie Linked Topeka Linked Lecompton Linked Fort Scott Linked Lane Linked Franklin County Linked Linn County Linked Atchison Linked Leavenworth

Lawrence is the county seat of Douglas County, Kansas. During Bleeding Kansas it was an antislavery stronghold; on May 21, 1856, proslavery forces sacked the town. On August 21, 1863, during the Civil War, guerrillas led by William Quantrill attacked Lawrence in what is known as the Lawrence Massacre. The University of Kansas, founded in 1864, is located in Lawrence.

Timeline

  1. 1856 On May 21, 1856, proslavery forces sacked the antislavery town of Lawrence during the Bleeding Kansas period. Sourced
  2. 1863 On August 21, 1863, Confederate guerrillas led by William Quantrill attacked Lawrence (the Lawrence Massacre / Quantrill’s Raid). Sourced
  3. 1864 The University of Kansas, founded in 1864, is located in Lawrence. Sourced

Connected through

Sack of Lawrence, May 21, 1856

Notes

Lawrence is the county seat of Douglas County, Kansas. Sourced

On May 21, 1856, proslavery forces sacked the antislavery town of Lawrence during the Bleeding Kansas period. Sourced

On August 21, 1863, Confederate guerrillas led by William Quantrill attacked Lawrence (the Lawrence Massacre / Quantrill’s Raid). Sourced

The University of Kansas, founded in 1864, is located in Lawrence. Sourced

The Kansas Herald of Freedom, a free-state newspaper associated with Lawrence/Wakarusa territory publishing, was among free-state presses targeted in the May 1856 Sack of Lawrence (LoC newspaper history). Sourced

A contemporary sketch of the ruins of Lawrence after the 1863 attack is held by the Library of Congress (no known restrictions on publication). Sourced

The May 21, 1856 sack of Lawrence is the path hinge for Connected-through Bleeding Kansas siblings. Sourced

Lawrence is the hub of the Connected-through Bleeding Kansas siblings path (era hinge: Sack of Lawrence, May 21, 1856). Sourced

A contemporary LoC print depicting the destruction of Lawrence on August 21, 1863 is hosted for this Place page (lawrence-sack-1863-loc.jpg). Sourced

A correspondent sketch of the ruins of Lawrence after Quantrill’s raid is hosted for this Place page (lawrence-ruins-1863-loc.jpg). Sourced

Sources