Lanesfield Historic Site

About the Site

The limestone schoolhouse, the last remaining structure in the former town of Lanesfield, is the oldest operating schoolhouse in Johnson County. Students attended from 1869 - 1963 when the school closed. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The site today includes the original schoolhouse, four outbuildings, and a modern visitors center that houses the exhibit One-Room Schools in Kansas, a museum store, and restrooms.

The site features seven interpretive panels on the grounds that tell the story of the schoolhouse, the town of Lanesfield and its connection with General and U.S. Senator James H. Lane, the reasons for the town’s eventual decline, Santa Fe Trail history, stories of the local Border War, and the agricultural experience in Johnson County. An accompanying audio tour is also available. 

Visiting Hours

  • Lanesfield Historic Site is open to the public from 10:00am to 4:00pm on the second Saturday of each month. Admission is free!
  • Visitors are welcome to tour site grounds during daylight hours. 
  • Interpretative panels on the grounds are available to visitors for free year round. 
  • Fieldtrips, Escape Rooms, and Group Tours are available by appointment. For questions or to book your experience, call 913-715-2570.

Stamps

Looking for Kansas City’s Passport to Adventure or Santa Fe Trail stamps? You can find them near the Visitor's Center entrance! National Park Service Passport Stamps are available outside the Visitor Center entrance.

Special EventsHistoric class picture of Lanesfield School with teacher’s face x’d out. Promo for the Lanesfi

Are you good at solving mysteries? Test your skills at the Lanesfield Escape Room! Perfect for groups of 4-6 people who love to solve a good mystery. A recent escapee shared, "This escape room is a hidden gem! Clues involve arithmetic, literature, history and geography. Each proved challenging but not impossible to solve." Book your experience today!