Event marks Kan. Territorial Capitol's heritage

FORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) — A bit of Kansas life from the 1850s will be re-enacted Saturday at the First Territorial Capitol State Historic Site at Fort Riley.

The celebration of Territorial Governor's Day will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with presentations, food vendors and activities for children. The event is free, but admission to the Army post requires photo identification.

The site was designated a capitol in June 1855 by Andrew Reeder, the first territorial governor of Kansas, near a small settlement known as Pawnee close to the Fort Riley boundary.

Territorial legislators met for five days in July 1855 in a stone building on the site. Several other capitols were designated around the Kansas territory in the following years before Topeka was chosen as the permanent location.