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32-545: In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized. In 1855, Marion County was established. In 1860, the city of Marion Centre founded, later renamed Marion. In 1861, Kansas became the 34th U.S. state . In 1865, Marion became the county seat. President Franklin D. Roosevelt 's New Deal program provided nationwide relief from the Great Depression , by funding make-work job projects through agencies like

64-469: A colossal achievement for the company, their race, and the CCC. The surrounding populace soon realized these men were well disciplined and unusually civil." The Marion County Record reported for three years on the high standards of the entire regiment and of the community's hospitality. The regiment reportedly participated in all national and local events, holidays, and fighting one farmhouse fire. The project

96-564: A slave state if it should require half the citizens of Missouri, musket in hand, to emigrate there. According to these emigrants, abolitionists would do well not to stop in Kansas Territory, but keep on up the Missouri River until they reach Nebraska Territory , which was anticipated to be a free state. Before the first arrival of Free-State emigrants from the northern and eastern States, nearly every desirable location along

128-695: The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and Works Progress Administration (WPA). In 1934, the New Deal's lakes and ponds work plan identified Marion County as an eligible drought area, and a project was conceived for public employment and water conservation. The Kansas State Fish and Game Commission architected the dam, and Marion County Engineer James Meisner architected the park. His plan included designs and placements of stone structures, roads, and landscaping, stressing "permanency and timeless, simple designs". Reportedly, Meisner "believed

160-716: The Shawnee Methodist Mission . In the election of 1857, free-staters out-voted the pro-slavery settlers in the Territory, which meant that the Territorial Legislature fell into free-state hands. Then, on October 4, 1859, the Wyandotte Constitution was approved in a referendum by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530, and after its approval by the U.S. Congress, Kansas was admitted as a free state on January 29, 1861, shortly after

192-509: The United States Senate , and who entered upon the duties of their officer. The first governor was Andrew Horatio Reeder (of Easton, Pennsylvania ) was appointed June 29, 1854 and removed July 28, 1858. On March 30, 1855, " Border Ruffians " from Missouri entered Kansas during the territory's first legislative election and voted in a pro-slavery Territorial Legislature. Antislavery candidates prevailed in one election district,

224-595: The 1850s. The land that would become Kansas Territory was considered to be infertile by 19th century American pioneers. It was called the Great American Desert , for it lacked trees and was drier than land eastward. Technically, it was part of the vast grasslands that make up the North American Great Plains and supported giant herds of American bison . After the invention of the steel plow and more sophisticated irrigation methods

256-595: The CCC regiment. The park was built by the WPA and the Kansas Emergency Relief Committee (KERC). Marion's population of 2,000 included only approximately 8 black people, so the lake project was considered a feat of interracial collaboration predating desegregation . The 1937 yearbook of the Missouri and Kansas CCC District stated: "Ushered into a community unfamiliar with colored people, proved

288-554: The CCC, WPA, and KERC. In 2012, an event at the park set the Guinness World Record for the "most people roasting marshmallows at once", at 1,272 people. The community is served by Marion–Florence USD 408 public school district. Kansas Territory The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when

320-535: The Missouri River had been claimed by men from western Missouri, by virtue of the preemption laws . During the long debate that preceded the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, it had become the settled opinion at the North that the only remaining means whereby the territory might yet be rescued from the grasp of the slave power, was in its immediate occupancy and settlement by anti-slavery emigrants from

352-714: The Southern legislators, who would never have permitted a new free state, had walked out. The last legislative act of the Territorial Legislature was the approval of the charter for the College of the Sisters of Bethany . This was February 2, 1861—four days after James Buchanan signed the act of Congress that officially brought Kansas into the Union. James H. Lane joined the Free-State movement in 1855 and became president of

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384-559: The Topeka Constitutional Convention, which met from October 23 to November 11, 1855. He was later a leader of " Jayhawkers ." The first Free-state mass-meeting was in Lawrence on the evening of June 8, 1855; it was stated that persons from Missouri had invaded and had stolen elections to the legislature of the territory. It was claimed that some Missourians had used violence toward the persons and property of

416-499: The adjacent territory, selected a section of land, and then united with fellow-adventurers in a meeting or meetings, intending to establish a pro-slavery preemption upon all this region. As early as June 10, 1854, the Missourians held a meeting at Salt Creek Valley, a trading post 3 miles (5 km) west from Fort Leavenworth , at which a "Squatter's Claim Association" was organized. They said they were in favor of making Kansas

448-575: The area that would become Kansas Territory 33 years later was part of the Missouri Territory . When Missouri was granted statehood in 1821 the area became unorganized territory and contained little to no permanent white settlement with the exception of Fort Leavenworth . The Fort was established in 1827 by Henry Leavenworth with the 3rd U.S. Infantry from St. Louis, Missouri ; it is the first permanent European settlement in Kansas. The fort

480-689: The communities of Marion , Florence , Aulne , Canada , Eastshore , Marion County Lake , and nearby rural areas of Marion County . In 1945, the School Reorganization Act in Kansas caused the consolidation of thousands of rural school districts in Kansas. In 1963, the School Unification Act in Kansas caused the further consolidatation of thousands of tiny school districts into hundreds of larger Unified School Districts . High school students from Florence started attending Marion High School in fall 1971 after

512-421: The construction crew attributed to the ongoing severe drought as a "blessing". By March 1938, the dam was functionally finished except its road, and the picnic facilities were in use that year. The lake began to fill rapidly with record rainfall, with one event of 6 inches (150 mm). May 26, 1940, was the day of dedication with 9,599 registered visitors, 1,985 fishermen, and cars from 35 counties and 8 states. It

544-623: The eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the free state of Kansas . The territory extended from the Missouri border west to the summit of the Rocky Mountains and from the 37th parallel north to the 40th parallel north . Originally part of Missouri Territory , it was unorganized from 1821 to 1854. Much of the eastern region of what is now the State of Colorado

576-450: The entire park could be built from materials close at hand, native rock with which roads could be surfaced, picturesque bridges constructed, and the whole park improved with no cost except labor". The two original water sources were runoff, and a small spring at the lake head. The county petitioned a public vote on the project to employ 300 men and 150 teams with New Deal funding of US$ 70,000 (equivalent to about $ 1,537,000 in 2023), which

608-641: The free states in sufficient numbers to establish free institutions within its borders. The desire to facilitate the colonization of the Territory took practical shape while the bill was still under debate in the United States Congress . The largest organization created for this purpose was the New England Emigrant Aid Company , organized by Eli Thayer . Emigration from the free states (including Iowa , Ohio , and other Midwestern and New England states), flowed into

640-544: The future Riley County . The first session of the legislature was held in Pawnee, Kansas (within the boundary of modern-day Fort Riley ), at the request of Governor Reeder . The two-story stone building still stands and is open to the public, as the First Territorial Capitol of Kansas . The building remained as the seat of the legislature for five days from July 2–6, 1855, then moved nearer Missouri to

672-399: The inhabitants of the Kansas Territory. It was agreed that Kansas should be a free State and that the stolen election was a gross outrage on the elective franchise and rights of freemen and a violation of the principles of popular sovereignty. Those attending did not feel bound to obey any law of illegitimate legislature enacted and opposed the establishment of slavery. The convention reserved

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704-512: The right to invoke the aid of the Federal government against the lawless course of the slavery propaganda in the territory. 39°19′N 94°55′W  /  39.31°N 94.92°W  / 39.31; -94.92 Marion%E2%80%93Florence USD 408 Marion–Florence USD 408 is a public unified school district headquartered in Marion, Kansas , United States. The district includes

736-464: The settlers of Kansas Territory to determine by popular sovereignty whether Kansas would be a free state or a slave state . The Act contained thirty-seven sections. The provisions relating to Kansas Territory were embodied in the last eighteen sections. Some of the more notable sections were: Within a few days after the passage of the Kansas–Nebraska Act, hundreds of Missourians crossed into

768-475: The territory beginning in 1854. These emigrants were known as Free-Staters . Because Missourians had claimed much of the land closest to the border, the Free-Staters were forced to establish settlements further into Kansas Territory. Among these were Lawrence , Topeka , and Manhattan . To protect themselves against the encroachments of non-residents, the "Actual Settlers' Association of Kansas Territory"

800-660: The thick prairie soil would be broken for agriculture. By the 1850s immigration pressure was increasing and organization into a Territory was desired. Kansas Territory was established on May 30, 1854, by the Kansas–Nebraska Act . This act established both the Nebraska Territory and Kansas Territory. The most momentous provision of the Act in effect repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and allowed

832-500: The vote. During part of the territorial period there were two territorial legislatures, with two constitutions, meeting in two cities (one capital was burned by partisans of the other capital). Two applications for statehood, one free and one slave, were sent to the U.S. Congress. The departure of Southern legislators in January 1861 facilitated Kansas' entry as a free state, later the same month. From June 4, 1812, until August 10, 1821,

864-487: Was a "great success" with water depth at the dam of 35 feet (11 m), and because the lake had been stocked for three years. As of 1990, the park area was its original 302.5 acres (122.4 ha), of which the lake was 153 acres (62 ha) with maximum water depth of 40 feet (12 m). In 2002, the facility was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) for its historical association with

896-500: Was approved 5,261 to 2,061. On November 7, 1935, a CCC regiment was organized at Fort Riley for this project, and was staffed with Black veterans and juniors. On February 3, 1936, the regiment was dispatched by train to Marion to build the dam using mules and a steam shovel . On March 21, 1936, lake construction began with supervision by E. C. McBurney of the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), and construction by

928-867: Was established as the westernmost outpost of the American military to protect trade along the Santa Fe Trail from Native Americans . The trade came from the East, by land using the Boone's Lick Road , or by water via the Missouri River . This area, called the Boonslick , was located due east in west-central Missouri and was settled by Upland Southerners from Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee as early as 1812. Its slave-holding population would contrast with settlers from New England who would eventually arrive in

960-562: Was formed. This association held a meeting on August 12, 1854, the object being the adoption of some regulations that should afford protection to the Free-State settlers, under laws not unlike those adopted by the pro-slavery squatters in the border region east. The first territorial appointments, looking to the inauguration of a local government, under the provisions of the organic law, were made in June and July 1854. The officers appointed by President Pierce , whose appointments were confirmed by

992-719: Was part of Kansas Territory. The Territory of Colorado was created to govern this western region of the former Kansas Territory on February 28, 1861. The question of whether Kansas was to be a free or a slave state was, according to the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas–Nebraska Act , to be decided by popular sovereignty , that is, by vote of the Kansans. The question of which Kansans were eligible to vote led to an armed-conflict period called Bleeding Kansas . Both pro-slavery and free-state partisans encouraged and sometimes financially supported emigration to Kansas, so as to influence

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1024-410: Was reportedly constantly visited or inspected by many federal relief agencies and the army, with several dignitary receptions. On October 15, 1936, the regiment was quickly diverted from the project into marching bugle corps formation for an impromptu reception of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt . In 1937, Marion County Lake was essentially completed on schedule, which

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