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FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas — The Frontier Army Museum has been a staple of Fort Leavenworth since 1959. The prefabricated 1941 Quonset building it is currently housed in was never intended for a museum. It is bursting at the seams with artifacts that highlight early Army and pioneer history, from the creation of the post in 1827 to the present day.
Due to the size and type of building, the public is only able to see about a quarter of the museum’s collection, said FAM Museum Specialist Megan Hunter.
Hunter said some interesting artifacts are stuck in storage, in part due to space constraints. As examples, Hunter listed the 34-star flag that flew when the state of Kansas joined the union; a painting of prominent scholar Col. Arthur L. Wagner, who served on Fort Leavenworth from 1885 to about 1896; and the firefighting gear for former Fort Leavenworth Fire Department Assistant Chief/Chaplain Michael Kuk.
According to Hunter, each of these items carries a story that the public should be able to learn about.
“Currently in our holdings, we have just over 4,600 items in our collection; off the top of my head, about 4 percent is actually on display at any point in time.”
The 34-star, Civil War-era U.S. flag is housed in flat storage that contains flags of various sizes and ages. The flag represents Kansas joining of the Union in 1861, and it was officially in use from July 4, 1861, to July 3, 1863. It flew at the headquarters of Brig. Gen. George Crook, a prominent Union military officer, in 1864 around Richmond, Fayette Court House, Brownstone, and other Civil War campaigns. Currently, the flag must stay in storage due to its size, age and fragile state. Hunter said old flags need to be displayed in special casing to help protect them from light pollution and dust.
The oil painting of Wagner has also been relegated to the collection archives. As a pioneer of early Army education, Wagner helped make Fort Leavenworth a center for military education. He played a pivotal role in shaping the Army’s tactics in warfare in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Although not much is known about the origins of the painting, Hunter said it likely hung in a hall for many years before being moved to storage to be preserved. The painting underwent a restoration in 1979. The last time it was on display was in 2015.
Kuk donated his firefighter turnout gear to the museum in 2000. Hunter said the more modern-era gear helps build on the story of Fort Leavenworth and shares the story of those who have lived and served on the installation. In December 2001, Kuk wore the gear to fight the St. Ignatius Chapel fire, which completely destroyed the Catholic church.
New museum
These artifacts, representing more than 100 years of history, are only a small portion of the museum’s collection. A new museum is currently being developed that will allow for more of the FAM collection to be on display, and more.
“A new facility, not actually being inside an artifact itself, would be very helpful,” Hunter said. “That will help allow us to have improved HVAC facilities, fire suppression, all those little kind of boring details, but also very important details when it comes to functioning museums.”
Modern museums can offer many high-tech features that not only keep artifacts safe but also allow visitors to see them.
“A new facility will allow us to customize how we want to display things. It will allow us to lay things out in a more strategic manner,” Hunter said. “It will allow us to have better facilities — we'll have HVAC systems that control heat and temperature fluctuations. We'll have a cleaner air system that helps prevent any air pollutants in it.”
Navy veteran George Pettigrew, chairman of the Fort Leavenworth Museum Project Committee, is currently in the process of bringing the new museum to Fort Leavenworth. Pettigrew said his mission of helping to get a new museum funded and built will give the community easier access to thousands of artifacts.
The current museum’s limited size and age prompted the new museum project. Pettigrew said a conversation a few years ago about the new museum started with a discussion with former Combined Arms Center Deputy to the Commanding General Michael Formica and his wife, Kimberly. Pettigrew said that during Kimberly Formica’s volunteer time at the museum, she noted the building was in need of upgrades and repairs.
“There were so many limits on the future of that museum, and I later found out that it was one that was impossible to retrofit. It could not come up to where the standards are today,” Pettigrew said.
Pettigrew said the new museum will be located outside the gates, positioned between Grant and Sherman gates, allowing easier access to the public. It will feature 28,000 square feet of exhibit space, as well as space for other uses such as conferences and classes. He said this purpose-built museum will allow the museum staff to curate a broad range of collections, allowing visitors to learn more about military and pioneer history, highlighting Fort Leavenworth’s role as the Gateway to the West.
Pettigrew said the Fort Leavenworth Museum Project Committee is working with FAM, the U.S. Army and outside agencies to develop a building plan that will not only keep the artifacts safe, but will also make engaging storytelling possible.
Pettigrew said the new museum will also broaden educational opportunities available to both higher educational institutions and school districts. Currently, FAM hosts students from the Command General Staff College and School of Advanced Military Studies, as well as local and regional school districts and organizations. Hunter said groups sometimes travel from neighboring states to learn about frontier military history, and the museum staff helps curate educational materials based on lesson plans teachers are using.
Pettigrew said the outside of the building is projected to have large glass walls with special UV protection that allow for natural light but will also protect artifacts. The building will rise in height 50 feet from the east side of the building to the west, symbolizing westward expansion. Hunter said this type of small detail will help push the new museum to the top of museums nationwide.
“When you walk up to the building, the view of the outside of the building is as much of an experience as it is inside,” Hunter said.
The area will include native plants and grasses that are not only good for the environment but are also low maintenance, and the landscaping will help visitors envision what the area looked like when settlers arrived.
“We wanted it to look like it looked 200 years ago, or accurate to the frontier,” Pettigrew said.
The committee plans to preserve historic Native American sites on the land, as well as potentially offer a Pow Wow site to allow indigenous people to continue to honor their ancestors.
Pettigrew said the committee is hoping to open the new museum in conjunction with the Fort Leavenworth Bicentennial in May 2027. Construction will take 18-20 months, and the completed the museum will be 90,000 square feet and 500 feet long.
Pettigrew said preserving both Army and pioneer history is an important part of the legacy of Fort Leavenworth, and that the artifacts and the hard-working individuals they represent play an important part in telling shared history.
“We need to understand how challenging it all was and not to take it for granted,” Pettigrew said.
To follow the progress of the new museum, visit https://fmusaf.org/.
The Frontier Army Museum at 100 Reynolds Ave. is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call 913-684-3186 or visit https://history.army.mil/Army-Museum-Enterprise/Find-an-Army-Museum/Frontier-Army-Museum/.
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