About Lawrence, Kansas:
Lawrence, Kansas, was founded in 1854 by the New England Emigrant Aid Company and named for abolitionist Amos A. Lawrence. It was established to help make Kansas a free (non-slave) state. Lawrence was also a key stop on the Underground Railroad. It became a center of free-state politics during the “Bleeding Kansas” era when there was a political and ideological debate over whether slavery should be permitted in the proposed state of Kansas. Kansas became a “Free State” on January 29, 1861
Notable events include the Wakarusa War (1855), the Sacking of Lawrence (1856), and Quantrill’s Raid (Lawrence Massacre) on August 21, 1863, when Confederate guerrillas led by William Quantrill killed around 150–200 men and boys and burned much of the town. The community rebuilt and later focused on education.
Lawrence is the sixth-largest city in the state (2026 estimate around 100,000). The broader metro area is larger. It has a relatively young median age (around 29–32) due to its student population.
Lawrence is home to the University of Kansas (KU), the state’s flagship public university. Education is a major economic and cultural driver of the city.
Catholic places of interest in Lawrence, Kansas:
Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church
Saint Lawrence Catholic Campus Center and at The University of Kansas
Traveling to Lawrence, Kansas:
By car: Lawrence us roughly 32 miles east of Topeka and 40 miles west of Kansas City.
By plane: Lawrence Regional Airport (code LWC) serves private aviation. At this time, there are no commercial flights to Lawrence. The nearest airport would be Kansas City (code MCI).
By train: Amtrak has service to Lawrence on the “Southwest Chief” that operates daily in both directions: westbound from Chicago to Los Angeles and eastbound from Los Angeles to Chicago through Kansas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.