Lansing

History

Lansing is named for James Lansing, a pioneer settler. Formerly William Lansing Taylor, James changed his name upon his enlistment in 1862 as a hospital steward in the 7th Kansas Cavalry. Following the Civil War, he earned a position at the new state penitentiary in Kansas as a hospital steward. He later resigned and opened a general mercantile store, which held the post office and an apothecary business, in the area called "Town of Progress". "Doc Lansing", as he became known, and his friend John C. Schmidt became co-owners of of land that was platted into town lots in 1878; they named the area "Town of Lansing". Lansing did not become an incorporated city until 1959. The Kansas State Penitentiary, later renamed the Lansing Correctional Facility in 1990, was authorized by the Kansas Constitution in 1859; it is the state's largest and oldest facility for detention and rehabilitation of male adult felons. Lansing was ranked 88 in the top 100 of Money Magazine's 2007 list of best places to live.

Geography

Lansing is situated along the western bank of the Missouri River, which also marks the Kansas-Missouri state border. It is bordered by the city of Leavenworth to the north; Kansas City is less than a half-hour to the southeast. U.S. Route 73 passes through the city. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Lansing has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,027
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,762
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,342
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  5,245
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  4,972
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  4,927
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  4,365
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  4,229

Largest nearby schools

• Leavenworth Sr High
  High · Leavenworth · 1,250 students · 18.7:1 ratio
• Lansing High 9-12
  High · Leavenworth · 870 students · 17.8:1 ratio
• Basehor-Linwood High School
  High · Basehor · 857 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• Lansing Elementary School
  Elementary · Lansing · 762 students · 16.9:1 ratio
• Lansing Middle 6-8
  Middle · Lansing · 635 students · 14.4:1 ratio
• Basehor Elementary School
  Elementary · Basehor · 505 students · 14.9:1 ratio
• Bradley Elem
  Elementary · Fort Leavenworth · 496 students · 16.5:1 ratio
• Richard Warren Intermediate School
  Middle · Leavenworth · 481 students · 19.2:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.5 — 2024-03-15
  2 km NE of Ferrelview, Missouri
• M 2.6 — 2018-07-20
  1 km WNW of Saint Joseph, Missouri
• M 3.1 — 2007-03-23
  5 km N of Nortonville, Kansas