Fort Leavenworth - Definition and Overview

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.

Fort Leavenworth is currently the home of the Command and General Staff College, the National Simulation Center, and the United States Disciplinary Barracks. Just north of the City of Leavenworth, Kansas, Fort Leavenworth is located in the upper northeast corner of Kansas. Size: 5,600 acres (23 km&sup2) and 7,000,000 ft&sup2 (650,000 m&sup2) of space in 1,000 buildings and 1,500 quarters.