In 1827, Colonel Henry Leavenworth established a post on the bluffs overlooking the western bank of the Missouri River to protect the fur trade, safeguard commerce on the Santa Fe Trail and maintain the peace among the inhabitants.
For the first fifty years of its existence, Fort Leavenworth was a gateway to the western frontier, serving the Army as a quartermaster depot, arsenal and troop post. With the end of the Indian Wars, the fort transformed itself into an integral part of the Army’s new officer education system as well as a worldwide model for military corrections. Through two World Wars it served as an induction center for troops and a school for staff officers.
FortLeavenworth is the oldest military base in the United States west of the Mississippi.
The main fort complex is visible in middle distance with the Missouri River and bottomland in the background.
The French Fort de Cavagnial was located somewhere in the left middle distance of this view, and the Missouri River and valley bottomland are visible in distance.