Lansing Historical Museum
115 East Kansas Avenue
The
Lansing Historical Museum is housed in the 1887 Santa Fe Railroad Depot on Lansing Correctional Facility property.
In 1989, the building faced demolition at its original location.
With the help of the Lansing Correctional Facility who offered a location on its grounds to place the depot, the Lansing Historical Society restored the structure and established it as a Museum. It has resided there since 1992.
In 2006, the City of Lansing began operating the Museum under the Economic Development/Convention & Visitors Bureau Department. These two neighbors continue to help one another.
The Museum preserves the prison’s history and LCF provides assistance with special projects.
The
Lansing Historical Museum is home to hundreds of artifacts and documents relating to the Kansas State Penitentiary/Lansing Correctional Facility.
There is a permanent prison display in the Museum consisting of contraband, coal mine equipment, restraints, and photographs.
Our prison photograph collection includes agriculture, structures, coal mine operations, mug shots, and staff members.
News articles relating to the prison are sorted into general topics to facilitate research.
Here is a list of the current topics:
Arts/Choir
Inmate Crime
Board of Probation & Parole
Inmate General
Capital Punishment
Larned State Hospital
Community Projects
Law
Escapes
Lawsuits
Facility
Personnel
Farm
Prison Reform
Fires
Prison System
Former Inmates
Rehabilitation
Groups
Riot Summer 1969
Honor Farm/Camp
Security
Vocational Training
We also have a file concerning Richard Hickock, Perry Smith, and Truman Capote; state reports, manuals, and inmate publications.
The Museum has few records on individual inmates.
If you are trying to find out about an ancestor who served a sentence in
Lansing, we suggest contacting the Kansas State Historical Society.
The
Kansas State Historical Society has inmate records from 1864 to 1952.
We welcome researchers to the
Lansing Historical Museum; however, please call in advance and make an appointment.
We want to make sure there will be a trained staff member present to assist you with your research.
The Museum continues to accept donations of prison related items.
If you have items you would like the Museum to consider for the collection please call 913-250-0203 or e-mail
.