This Hidden Kansas City Is A Timeless Escape With Pre-Civil War Buildings And Historic Streets

When it comes to devising your travel schedule for the year, Kansas probably isn't the first state inked atop your list. That Kansas came 41st in WalletHub's Most Fun States in America 2025 rankings was more or less on par with public perception of the breadbasket states. But there's much more to this corner of the country than wheat fields, barbecues, and lowing cattle. Amid its high-grass prairies, you'll find creative enclaves like Lucas, one of America's best small art towns. The underappreciated state is also great for road trips, as Kansas beat out all others for the best driving conditions in America in 2025. Broadly, the state is historically rich: It hosted the first (unofficial) battle of the Civil War and was a heartland of the mid-19th century oil boom. And there are plenty of towns where this history is still woven into the fabric of modern life, including little-known Lecompton.

Lecompton was founded on Wyandotte native land in 1854. Located about an hour from Kansas City International Airport, the town is easy to reach off I-70. It may be small (there are roughly 600 residents), but that means there has been little push to raze its old-world buildings to meet the demands of a growing population. Lecompton has one of the largest collections of pre-Civil War buildings in Kansas and was influential in several significant periods in American politics: A debate in the town's Constitution Hall helped elect one of America's greatest leaders, Abraham Lincoln, while the parents of America's 34th president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, met here at the former Lane University. 

The best way to explore the town of Lecompton is on foot. Historic walking tour maps are available on the Lecompton website. Following a loose loop around the town via East 2nd Street, Elmore Street, East Woodson Avenue, and Halderman Street, you'll take in the sights of this town where "slavery began to die," including old churches, brick sidewalks, veteran memorials, and murals.

When Lecompton was founded, the Bleeding Kansas era had just begun. Slave owners and abolitionists were embroiled in heated exchanges over the direction of their newly minted territory. The town became the territorial capital the following year, 1855, while its population and infrastructure ballooned — there were as many as 4,000 residents at one point. Split allegiances in Kansas ensured the rest of the decade continued to be tumultuous for Lecompton: Four constitutions were drafted, the state cycled through 10 governors, and the Constitution Hall was built, giving representatives a place to meet, argue, and occasionally exchange blows.

Designated as a National Historic Landmark in the 1970s, the Constitution Hall is a must-see spot for history buffs that explores Lecompton's past and stages discussions, readings, and performances, known as the Bleeding Kansas series, throughout the year. The second most important structure is the Territorial Capital Museum, sitting on the site of the capitol building that was never built because the well ran dry and antislavery legislators ousted their proslavery counterparts from office. It instead became Lane University in 1882, named after free-state Jayhawker James H. Lane, who had tried to attack the town a couple decades earlier. The museum is an archive of the town's wild and vibrant history.

Being a small town, Lecompton has limited accommodation options, so you're best bet is to look for hotels or apartment rentals nearby. Lawrence, a 20-minute drive to the east, has lots of hotels, including properties by major chains like Hilton. Topeka, a bustling Kansas city known for its low cost of living, is just 20 miles to the west. The modern state capital has everything from luxury downtown hotels with skyline views to cozy, well-furnished apartments that feel like a home away from home.

For accommodations in keeping with the old-world atmosphere of Lecompton, you could check in to Brandt House, about an hour's drive to the West in Alma. A late 19th-century limestone building rising from the prairies, the hotel was renovated and reopened as a boutique accommodation in 2025. Though further away than Lawrence or Topeka, it can serve as a lovely base for exploring Lecompton as well as other historic Kansas towns or the picturesque Flint Hills.