The First Territorial Capitol of Kansas

Judging by the title of this post, you can assume that Kansas had more than one territorial capitol. In fact, I read somewhere that Kansas actually had five before it entered into the Union.

Why? The Kansas territory was in the midst of a serious tug-of-war between anti and pro-slavery factions.

Andrew H. Reeder was appointed territorial governor of Kansas in June 1854. And avid supporter of Democratic Senator Stephan Douglas from Illinois and his popular sovereignty policies, pro-slavery advocates cheered the appointment. What the pro-slavery party hadn't counted on was Reeder's determination to hold up  the idea of popular sovereignty and maintain a middle ground.

In the summer of 1855, nearly a year after his appointment, Reeder moved his executive office in Leavenworth, KS, situated near the Missouri border, to Pawnee, KS, a small town nearly one hundred-twenty miles away. (Now, I'm not sure why he chose this town other than one, it was far from Missourian interference, and two, it was close to Fort Riley, which was necessary to keep a capitol safe from the so-called savages settlers feared.)

 Let me back up a few months.


If you recall the concept of popular sovereignty, you know it was set up for the people to decide whether or not a state would enter the Union as free or slave. The idea was good, but. . . pro-slavery advocates weren't taking chances. So when an election was held for the Kansas Territory Legislature in March 1855, the good ol' Bushwhackers crossed the territorial line and pretended to be Kansas settlers, electing representatives with pro-slavery sympathies. 

Reeder wasn't blind to the voter fraud and refused to certify the votes and called for a new election. 

So fast forward to July 2, 1855, Reeder called to order the First Territorial Legislature in Pawnee, KS, the appointed territorial capitol. On July 4, after the governor's veto, the legislature voted reconvene at the new territorial capitol. On July 16, the capitol was moved back near the Missouri border in a place called Shawnee Mission, KS, where they adopted the slave laws of Missouri.

It may come as no surprise that President Pierce dismissed Reeder as territorial governor by the end of July. (Of course it had nothing to do with Reeder's political policy at fair vote and everything to do with some sort of illegal activities concerning land speculation.)

But this wasn't the end of Reeder's political career, at least not yet. Nor was the territorial capitol set in stone.