From the collections at the Leavenworth County Historical Society and Museum. Reprinted with permission from The Leavenworth County Historical Society and Museum and the Leavenworth Times. Donated by Debra Graden.

The Leavenworth Times, Monday Evening, March 10, 1930

Shows All Important Business Houses -- Court House Not Yet Built, But Contract Had Been Let -- Picture in Corner Stone of Old Methodist Church.

E. D. Lysle has presented to the public library a very interesting picture of the early days of Leavenworth when the hub of the business district of the downtown section was along the river front. The picture is a birdseye view of the city taken in March, 1853 and shows some of the river. The Planters Hoter, Smith and Cobb, proprietors; Shawnee House, C. M. Farrell & Co., proprietors; Mansion House, Shawnee and Fifth streets, Kiser and Insley, proprietors; St. George Hote, H. O. Meager, proprietor; Douglas and McCohen, attorney-at-law, and dealer in real estate; D. R. Anthony, Aetna Insurance Agency, also Home insurance; J. L. Strauss, Cohn and Resenfield, wholesale and retail dealers in fancy and staple dry goods, clothing and furnishing goods; Stockton Hall, Stockton & Co., furniture warerooms, Fourth and Delaware. A foot note states that there were 350 buildings not erected but that had been contracted for to be finished by March, 1854; also the contract for the court house had been let.

The picture has a fine walnut frame and is hung in the reading room of the library on the south wall.

A second picture that is of interest here was given to the library recently by Mrs. N. B. Perry, widow of Mr. Perry, who was one of the best known newspaper men in this part of the country in the early history of Leavenworth. It is a view of Fort Leavenworth and shows United States troops on train leaving for Utah, also there are shown in the picture the old quartermaster's corral, post trader's office, headquarters of the department of the Missouri, chief commissary building, railroad station, guard house, United States military prison, officers' quarters. This picture has a place in the main hall of the library. Both are of great interest for persons who desire to acquaint themselves of the history of Leavenworth.

Mr. Lysle's picture was among the papers in the corner stone of the old Methodist church and was removed when the church was sold, giving way for the erection of the Lysle Milling company. Mr. Lysle interested Colonel James B. Bryson of Fort Leavenworth who had the original photostated in the map department of the General Service Schools at the Garrison.