LANSING, Kansas (KCTV) — The limestone facade of the old Lansing Correctional Facility looms imposingly. From Kansas City, the state prison is the first of three historic prisons, including the United States Federal Penitentiary (USP) in Leavenworth. Lansing, originally known as the Kansas State Penitentiary, is the oldest of all.
The Civil War-era state prison will now be open to the public thanks to a partnership with the Missouri Department of Corrections and the Lansing Historical Society and Museum. The two signed off this month, more than a year after the idea was first floated.
It all began when Senator Jeff Pittman was on the Senate Budget Committee. A new prison had opened directly behind the historic building. They were discussing demolishing the old prison, which would cost $10 million. It was too expensive to maintain. Pittman proposed an alternative that he thought would cost less while preserving the old facility.
“So I worked across party lines, found consensus, and stopped the demolition. And I said, give us a year and we’ll find someone who we think can take over and do a really good job,” Pittman said.
They found their partner in the Historical Society, whose small museum is located at the end of the street leading to the prison.
“It took someone in his position to get this all started, because just coming in and saying to the director, ‘Hey, we want to save this,’ wasn’t possible,” said Debra Bates-Lamborn, president of the Lansing Historical Society and Museum.
The state provided $500,000 to stabilize the roof and walls and get the project started, but the hope is that it will eventually become self-sustaining, with admission fees covering the costs. Pittman and Bates-Lamborn have had a success story at the prison museum in Jefferson City, Missouri.
“I looked at the numbers and they’re doing about a million dollars a year in revenue, just a little less,” Pittman said. “I realized we can do that and more because our stories here just have a little more impact, a little more color, a little more exposure.”
Some of the stories hidden behind its walls, spanning more than a century, are well known. It was the home of the men who murdered the Clutter family. Their murder was the subject of Truman Capote’s book In Cold Blood, which was later made into a film. Johnny Cash performed there in 1970.
Other stories are less well known. In the 1930s, the director was kidnapped by a group of prisoners during an escape attempt.
“He was kidnapped about two days before his retirement. This is really quite a death,” Bates-Lamborn said.
The director survived. The inmates were eventually caught.
The kidnapping and escape is one of the stories that will be featured, but Pittman added that the story will also include the men’s capture. He said some of the experiences will include a glimpse into the lives of prison guards.
That’s the serious side of historical tours, but Pittman’s trip to Jefferson City also opened his eyes to another attraction: paranormal tours. Those are coming soon, too. They also plan to promote the place as a filming location. The Discovery Channel plans to visit the Kansas State Penitentiary for a two-hour special to air on Halloween.
The first major public event will be a car show inside the walls of the old prison, in the courtyard. The “Behind the Walls” car show is scheduled for Saturday, September 28, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
There is no set date for the first tour yet, but raffle tickets will be sold this weekend for a chance to be in the first group of 10. On Sunday they will be open for shopping from 1-3 p.m. Raffle tickets are $25 each.
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