There’s no place like Kansas! Even though Kansas could be considered one of the “newer” states, several of its towns are still filled with lots of fascinating history such as these 12 towns, including the oldest town in Kansas, listed below. If you’re a history buff, you’ll certainly want to visit the oldest towns in Kansas.

1. Leavenworth
Leavenworth, KS, USA
Melissa Bower/Wikimedia Commons
The city of Leavenworth is important for two main reasons:
1.) The old Fort Leavenworth, which was built in 1827, has an important spot in American history due to its role as a key supply base in the settlement of the Old West.
2.) Leavenworth was founded in 1854, making it the oldest city in Kansas.

Get a glimpse of Leavenworth living:

2. Ozawkie
Ozawkie, KS, USA
alltrails/Jay Mathiesen
Even though the small Topeka suburb (originally named Osawkee) became Jefferson County's original County Seat in 1855, the town itself wasn't even incorporated until a century later. The Jefferson County Seat was moved to Oskaloosa in 1858.
3. Scranton
Scranton, KS 66537, USA
Ichabod/Wikimedia Commons
This once-booming coal town, which was founded in 1871, was actually named after Scranton, Pennsylvania. Today, the town is home to 700 residents.
4. Atchison
Atchison, KS, USA
Tim Kiser/Wikimedia Commons
Named in honor of Missouri senator David Rice Atchison (who showed interest from the get-go in forming a pro-slavery territory in the newly formed state of Kansas), Atchison has held an important part of history through its involvement in the Civil War and industrialization period.

Take a drive through Atchison:

5. Elgin
Elgin, KS 67361, USA
facebook/Elgin, Kansas
The "Town Too Tough To Die" was founded in 1869 and, despite losing its post office in 1976, is still home to around 80 residents.
6. Blue Rapids
Blue Rapids, KS 66411, USA
Blue Rapids Museum Facebook
After the failed attempt to create a town at the junction of the Little Blue and Big Blue rivers, several families from New York moved in and had the town of Blue Rapids incorporated in 1872 as a city of third class under the statutes of Kansas.
7. Neodesha
Neodesha, KS 66757, USA
Flickr/John Jackson
Neodesha, which comes from the Osage Indian word meaning "meeting of the waters," was originally established as a trading post in 1867 (with permission from the Osage Indians who still owned the land). It was later incorporated in 1871.
8. Lawrence
Lawrence, KS, USA
Bhall87/Wikimedia Commons
We all know the story of Bleeding Kansas, but did you know that before the Civil War, Lawrence was part of the Shawnee Indian Reservation prior to the Kansas Territory being opened for settlement? Pretty interesting, huh?

Learn about the history of Lawrence:

9. Lecompton
Lecompton, KS 66050, USA
Bhall87/Wikimedia Commons
Back to Bleeding Kansas, not only was Lawrence a vital part in these deadly confrontations, Lecompton was too, even serving as the territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 1861.
10. Elk City
Elk City, KS 67344, USA
The Elk City Daily News Facebook
Very much like Neodesha, Elk City got its start as a trading post location in 1868.
11. Nicodemus
Nicodemus, KS 67625, USA
Nationalparks/Wikimedia Commons
Founded in 1877 as the Nicodemus Town Company, the goal of the town was to establish the first all-black settlement on the Great Plains. The town saw a large spike in population during the early 1880s, but it quickly declined after difficulties in both finding resources and years of poor harvests.
12. Council Grove
Council Grove, KS 66846, USA
Joe Camel/Wikimedia Commons
Named after an agreement between European Americans and the Osage Nation, Council Grove was one of the last stops on the Santa Fe Trail heading southwest and saw many pioneers pass through during the mid-1800s.

Do you live in any of the oldest towns in Kansas? Let us know in the comments! Now that you’ve seen the oldest cities in Kansas, check out the tiniest towns in Kansas! You may as well make a road trip out of it.

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More to Explore

oldest towns in kansas

Jennifer Young | July 10, 2022

What's one of the oldest places in Kansas that's perfect for a day trip?

One of the oldest places in Kansas that is perfect for a road trip is Lindsborg.

There are many towns located throughout the state of Kansas that are perfect for a visit. One of the oldest places in Kansas that's perfect for a day trip is Lindsborg. Lindsborg is located in McPherson County, Kansas. This quaint town was founded in 1869 by Swedish immigrants, which is a big reason why it's known as "Little Sweden." There are a variety of fun things to see and do in Lindsborg during your day trip. For example, you can search for the town's Wild Dala Horses. These are colorful horse statues located throughout the town. The Höglund Dugout is an interesting place to check out. This is where a Swedish couple once lived. They built their house in this pit. Of course, no visit to Lindsborg is complete without visiting Heritage Square. Heritage Square is home to seven historic buildings, including the 1870 Kansas Pacific/Union Railroad Depot, the 1903 West Kentuck one-room school, the 1904 Swedish Pavilion, an 1870 homestead cabin, and more. You'll love exploring this living history museum. The next time you plan a day trip, consider a visit to Lindsborg. You'll love everything about this Swedish town.

What's the oldest town in Kansas?

The oldest town in Kansas is Leavenworth.

Kansas boasts many towns with lots of great history. One of the most historic towns is Leavenworth, which happens to be the county seat of Leavenworth County. Founded in 1854, Leavenworth is also the oldest town in Kansas. There's also a variety of things to do in this historic town. One thing in particular is visiting the Carroll Mansion, a Victorian-era house where you can view lots of local artifacts. If you enjoy shopping, you'll certainly want to take advantage of Leavenworth's historic district. While here, you'll have access to 28 blocks of locally-owned shops that sell everything from jewelry to home goods. You won't leave empty-handed!

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