Prairie Patches

Depot and Visitors Center

During its post-Civil War rebuilding, one of Lawrence's main goals was to establish itself as the railroad hub of the Midwest. In 1882, Union Pacific spent $40,000 buying lots in North Lawrence and announced that it would build a new passenger depot. The 1889

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'

Opera House/Liberty Hall

Liberty Hall was rebuilt in 1911 as Bowersock Opera House after fire destroyed the original Liberty Hall. Renovated in the 1980

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

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