Marais des Cygnes Massacre State Historic Site

Site Info

On May 19, 1858, proslavery men killed five free-state men and wounded five others in a ravine that is now listed as a National Historic Landmark. The massacre, which followed earlier guerrilla warfare activities, on both sides, shocked the nation and became a pivotal event in the "Bleeding Kansas" era. A few months later, abolitionist John Brown came to the site and constructed a fortified cabin. Walk the grounds of this sites and learn more about the tensions during the era of territorial Kansas. There are interpretive signs that tell the story of the massacre, and there is an audio station (hand-crank device) where you can listen to narration.

This site is in a rural setting. You will have to travel gravel roads to get to it. In inclement weather, road conditions may not be ideal to visit the site. If you would like more information, contact nearby Mine Creek Battlefield State Historic Site, which oversees Marais des Cygnes Massacre State Historic Site, at 913-352-8890.

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