Lawrence, Kansas

Kenneth Spencer Research Library

Designed for the preservation and use of rare materials, the Kenneth Spencer Research Library, on the University of Kansas campus, provides a home to some of the finest collections in North America. The library houses three major units:

• Kansas Collection ((785) 864-4274)
  Lawrence, KS Research Centers

Carnegie Building

The Carnegie Building was built in 1904 as one of Andrew Carnegie's philanthropic contributions to the growth of cultural opportunities for rural communities. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building had housed the Lawrence Arts Center until 2002

Historic Homes Tour

Architectural variety characterizes Old West Lawrence. From the beginning, the neighbor hood was home to Lawrence's elite. Homes were built not only to accommodate basic shelter needs, but also to make statements of wealth, prestige and fashion. The oldest houses were built in 1860 and 1861

Watkins Community Museum of History

The Watkins Museum anchors the south end of downtown on Massachusetts Street. The three-story red brick building houses exhibits and artifacts of the area's history, including a display on the history of basketball. Current exhibits include "Early Settlement," which details Lawrence as an 1850'

Eldridge Hotel

Pro-slavery attacks burned the Eldridge Hotel to the ground twice during the years of "Bleeding Kansas." In the 1863 raid on Lawrence, Kansas, the first goal of Quantrill'