“Everyone is carrying a gun” said one observer of the town of Fort Scott during the late 1850s. During that era, known as Bleeding Kansas, people who held widely varied beliefs descended on Fort Scott. From abolitionists to proslavery advocates, from Jayhawkers to Border Ruffians, each had their own point of view on what was right and wrong and their own concept of justice. Those concepts often clashed violently at Fort Scott in the 1850s.
An evening tour at Fort Scott National Historic Site will take a look at many of the people who came to Fort Scott during that era. Six different scenes will represent the buildings and people who brought about conflict in the 1850s. Conflict could be found in the courtroom, the land office, the sheriff’s office - there were even two competing hotels. From the attempted burning of one of these hotels to the tragic shooting of one of its leading citizens, Fort Scott was no stranger to violence and intrigue during this era.
The tour will be offered on August 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the historic site. There is no charge for this tour which is the third in a series of evening tours this summer. It will meet at the visitor center.
Fort Scott National Historic Site is open daily from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Entrance to the site is free of charge. For more information call 620-223-0310 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/fosc.
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