When was the Grand Army of the Republic reunion held on Post?
The Midwest regional elements of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) held their 1897 convention on Fort Leavenworth from October 11th through the 16th. Over 15,000 veterans camped on post and thousands more came to see the attractions associated with the reunion. Leavenworth city boosters lobbied hard for the reunion to be held here and beat out Topeka in the final competition. It was desirable for the same reason cities today compete to be a venue for the Olympics – money. A large assembly would draw thousands of visitors who would spend tens of thousands of dollars making a tidy profit for the local businesses, as well as boosting the cities visibility and prestige. Preparations had to be made quickly, as the final site selection was not made until April 1897. The site for the camp, named Camp Russell A. Alger for the former general and current Secretary of War was “on a knoll east of the Fort road and lying directly north of the Leavenworth, Kansas and Western tracks. The site comm
