Local historian Katie Armitage shares this excerpt from Reverend Richard Cordley’s book “A History of Lawrence From the Close of the Rebellion”. Here B.F. Simpson describes Lawrence the night Kansas enters the union.

“I well remember the earlier part of the night of January 29th, 1861. I was at the Eldridge House in Lawrence, a member of the last territorial legislature that was holding its session in the dearly beloved free-state city.

There was from three to four inches of snow on the ground…..and the night was windy and cold. It must have been as late as nine o’clock when D. R. Anthony came into the hotel with a sturdy stride and flashing eyes, and told us that the president of the United State had that day signed the bill admitting Kansas into the union.

He brought with him and scattered around extras of a newspaper published at Leavenworth called The Conservative, announcing in joyful tidings in flaming headlines…..There was a sound of revelry that night in Lawrence, for the news spread like wildfire through the town.

Houses were lighted, doors thrown open, and the people gathered in public places. Old Sacramento was taken from his resting place and emphasized with hoarse throat the good tidings.”