Lecompton ? This was once a burgeoning town of 5,000 people. That was back in the late 1850s, when folks were sure it would become the state capital.

Of course, that fell through and it didn’t take long for Lecompton to lose its allure for early settlers.

“People were there with the idea they were going to make money because it was going to be the capital,” said Paul Bahnmaier, president of the Lecompton Historical Society.

Lecompton lost population steadily until the 1950s, when less than 300 people called the northwest Douglas County town home.

But those days seem to be behind the town that although with just more than 600 people is still quaint is becoming a focal point as Lawrence grows westward. Lecompton has its own interchange on the Kansas Turnpike and is catching the attention of developers.

No incentive

Nestled along the Kansas River about 10 miles west of Lawrence, residents of this town say it offers the best of both city conveniences and country calm.

“You can live out here and commute to Lawrence, Topeka or Kansas City,” said City Councilman Roy Pasley, a Lecompton resident for 52 years. “It’s quiet. You still have the small school districts. Your kids can play sports.”

But the amenities Lecompton is lacking sometimes cause frustration for residents. The only grocery store in town, Kroeger’s Country Meats and Deli, isn’t open late evenings or early mornings.

“They’ve got no place in Lecompton to even buy a cup of coffee,” said J. Stewart, a Lawrence developer who’s planning both a 300- and a 700-acre development south of Lecompton.

Housing developments being planned by Stewart could begin to attract more businesses to Lecompton. Stewart said the population growth that would result from people buying homes in his developments could spur interest from retailers who realize the population is large enough to support their business.

“The current downtown area could become like the original city of Colorado Springs, called Colorado City,” Stewart said. “They have kept a small-town feeling. It’s full of neat little shops that bring tourist trade into the city.”

The addition of the turnpike interchange a few years ago has improved the town’s visibility.

Not without water

Stewart can’t be sure exactly how many lots his developments will contain. The final layouts still are being designed.

What he is fairly sure of is that the lots will sell.

“What I’m going to be able to hopefully offer is a lot that is two to four acres in size for virtually the same price as a city lot in Lawrence,” he said.

Two private schools, three churches and two banks interested in building within the development areas already have approached Stewart, he said.

The only thing holding him back now is water. Lecompton has enough water supply for the 300-acre development, but the city must upgrade its water treatment plant to meet new federal water standards.

Stewart told the Lecompton City Council in January that he would foot the bill to run a new water line to his 300-acre development and would pay half the cost of upgrading the current water treatment facility to supply enough water for the additional 700 acres he plans to develop.

Ideally, the other half of the cost would be buffered by the tax-base increase that would result when people started buying lots in Stewart’s developments.

The council is still considering the proposal.