Lawrence, Kansas
Prior to Kansas Territory being established in May 1854, most of Douglas County was part of the Shawnee Indian Reservation (created in 1830). During this period, the Oregon Trail ran parallel to the Kansas River, roughly through the area where Lawrence would eventually be situated and a hill known then as "Hogback Ridge" (i.e., Mount Oread, which sits on the water divide separating the Kansas and Wakarusa River). This area was used as a landmark and an outlook by those on the trail. While this territory was technically unopened to settlement prior to 1854, there did exist a few "squatter settlements" in the area, especially just north of the Kansas River.
First Territorial Capitol of Kansas
The capitol became a history museum in 1928. The structure was christened on August 1 with a speech by Union Pacific Solicitor General Nelson H. Loomis, who said those who congregated there that day, "...dedicate this restored captitol building as a memorial to the brave and patriotic men and women [who laid the foundations of the state and built its railroads] who toiled and suffered that their children might enjoy the wholesome pleasures and delights which the wise maker of the Universe intended for those who should dwell in this beautiful and radiant land which we call Kansas." The First Territorial Capitol State Historic Site features exhibits on Kansas Territory, rail and river travel in the region, and the history of Pawnee. Because the museum is on an active U.S. Army base, there are restrictions on visitors, including requirements for photo identification.