Pawnee, Kansas

Pawnee, Kansas
The plats of northern Jefferson Township, Geary County, Kansas, showing Fort Riley and Pawnee across the Kansas River. 1909.
The plats of northern Jefferson Township, Geary County, Kansas, showing Fort Riley and Pawnee across the Kansas River. 1909.
Pawnee is located in Kansas
Pawnee
Pawnee
Pawnee is located in the United States
Pawnee
Pawnee
Coordinates: 39°5′6″N 96°45′42″W / 39.08500°N 96.76167°W / 39.08500; -96.76167[1]
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountyGeary
Named forPawnee people
Elevation1,053 ft (321 m)
Population
 • Total0
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code785
GNIS ID482209 [1]

Pawnee is a ghost town in Geary County, Kansas, United States,[1] which briefly served as the first official capital of the Kansas Territory in 1855. Pawnee was the territorial capital for exactly five days – the legislature met there from July 2 to July 6 – before legislators voted to move the capital to Shawnee Mission, which is located in present-day Fairway. It may be the shortest-lived capital of any U.S. state or territory (Colorado City also served as the capital of the newly established Colorado Territory for five days in 1862 but was not federally recognized).

  1. ^ a b c d "Pawnee, Kansas", Geographic Names Information System, United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior