Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour Preview

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 1. Queen of the Frontier Posts

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 2. Horsemanship Training

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 3. Missouri River Overlook

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 4. Command and General Staff College

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 5. Corral Creek

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 6. World War I amd II Induction Centers

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 7. Buffalo Soldier Monument

Fort Leavenworth Wayside 8. The Berlin Wall

This monument memorializes the historic barrier that separated West and East Berlin during the Cold War. After the destruction of the Berlin Wall in 1989, concrete sections were given to President Ronald Reagan by the U.S. Commander of the Berlin Brigade. Three sections were subsequently donated to Fort Leavenworth because of the world wide influence of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 9. Arsenal of the West

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 10.Cantonment Leavenworth

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 11. Trails West

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 12. First Kansas Territorial Capitol and Military Prison

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 13. USDB History

The period following the Civil War saw bad conditions surrounding military prisons. Prisons were inadequate and held a mixture of long term and minor offenders. The prisons also required a large portion of commanding officer's time who did not always have the proper training to deal with offenders. Punishments were not uniformly administered and often unnecessary.Major Thomas F. Barr, Judge Advocate of the Department of the East, submitted a report to the Secretary of War in which he described the unsatisfactory conditions of the military prisons. The U.S. military established a new system based on British military prisons. An act of Congress was approved on March 3, 1873 to establish a federal military prison. The original location for the prison was Rock Island, Ill. However, concerns about interference with the Ordnance Depot manufacturing changed the site. Fort Leavenworth was then chosen as the location for the U.S. Military Prison. It kept this name until 1915 when it was renamed the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks. Construction of the prison began in 1874 and was completed in 1921.Congress funded an expansion of the prison in 1908 to include a large development known as "the Castle." It consisted of a central stack with cell blocks radiating outwards. The finished prison consisted of 1,200 cells, four cell houses, a dining area, gymnasium, inmate radio station, offices, mail room, library, and death chamber.Vocational programs began at the USDB in 1877 with the making of Army shoes and boots to provide useful occupation and opportunity for prisoners to gain trade skills. This led to the development of other vocational activities for the prisoners such as auto mechanics, barbering, bee keeping, blacksmith activities, carpentry, soap making, plumbing, welding, agricultural undertakings, and more. In 1880 the prison established an educational system. All prisoners who could not read or write were required to attend.The Castle officially closed in 2003 and a new USDB facility opened north of the original location in 2002. Members of the 15th MP Brigade staff the prison.

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 14. Nez Perce - Prisoners of War

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 15. USDB Cemetery

The name Fort Leavenworth, in general conversation, usually brings with it images of the federal disciplinary barracks located on its grounds, even though the United States Army installation has a lot more to it than just the penitentiary. Nevertheless, the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks Cemetery at Fort Leavenworth, has just one purpose: to serve as the final resting place for those prisoners who died or were executed while incarcerated at the prison but whose remains were never claimed. Their final resting place is maintained with a high level of respect as Fort Leavenworth honors its military history.At the cemetery there are generally no staff members present; however, an information board near the entrance displays the plot plan and floral policy. Because the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks Cemetery resides on an active U.S. Army installation, all non-DoD, non-federally-affiliated visitors without proper government identification will need obtain prior approval for gate access. There is only unimproved roadside parking available at the cemetery grounds. The cemetery is also wheelchair-accessible but the terrain may inhibit movement to all parts of the cemetery. Original Cemetery Established: 1884 First Interment: est. 3/10/1884 First Recorded Interment: 10/26/1895 Location: Sheridan Dr, Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027 Burials: 240 (Civilian Inmates; U.S. Military Inmates; Foreign Enemy POW's) Columbarium: No Acres: 0.51 acres Status: Open to new interments Last Interment/Inurnment:4/4/1957

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 16. USDB - The Castle

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 17. Peacemakers

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 18. Main Parade

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 19. Battle Training History

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 20.West End Parade

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 21. Saint Ignatius Chapel

Fort Leavenworth Wayside Tour - 22. Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery