November 15, 2012

Lecompton residents are hoping Steven Spielberg's new movie about Abraham Lincoln will spur interest in the historic eastern Kansas town.

The movie, "Lincoln," which is scheduled to be released this week, is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's book "Team of Rivals."

Events in Kansas and Lecompton that led up to the Civil War are covered in the book. It was the Lecompton Constitution, which would have admitted Kansas as a slave state and was rejected, that split the national Democratic Party and helped Lincoln get elected as president in 1860.

Lecompton Historical Society president Paul Bahnmaier says that many Kansans are unaware of the city's historic role.

Lecompton is located northwest of Lawrence in Douglas County. It's home to about 600 residents and several historic sites.