Why visit Fort Scott
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 17 parks and trails, 23 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Fort Cinema, Fort Scott National Cemetery and Fort Scott National Historic Site.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Fort Scott
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Fort Scott
Fort Scott is a city in and the county seat of Bourbon County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 7,552. It is named for Gen. Winfield Scott.
From the Wikipedia article Fort Scott, Kansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks4
Fort Scott National Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic veterans cemetery in Bourbon County, Kansas
Parks, trails and playgrounds17
Fort Scott National Historic Site
Park · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
National Historic Site of the United States
Woodland Hills Golf Course
Golf course · 1.5 mi
2414 Horton Street, Fort Scott
5 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes23
Crooner's Lounge
Restaurant · Steak House, Seafood, Pasta, Chicken · 0.9 mi
117 South Main Street, Fort Scott
We-Sa 17:00-21:00
Hot Wok Chinese Buffet
Restaurant · Chinese · 0.4 mi
1511 South National Avenue, Fort Scott
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
El Charro
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.4 mi
2503 South Main Street, Fort Scott
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00, Su 11:00-20:00
Lotus Express
Restaurant · Chinese · 0.8 mi
209 State Street, Fort Scott
Mo-Sa 11:00-20:45
Nu Grille
Restaurant · Burger, American · 1.0 mi
24 North National Avenue, Fort Scott
Mo-Sa 07:00-20:00; Su 07:00-14:00
Scooter's Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.2 mi
2402 South Main Street, Fort Scott
Mo-Su 05:30-21:00
Holmtown Pub
Bar and pub · 1.1 mi
206 North National Avenue, Fort Scott
Mo-Th 11:00-24:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-02:00
Papa Don's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.0 mi
10 North Main Street, Fort Scott
Mo-Su 10:00-20:00
Sharky's Pub & Grub
Restaurant · 1.0 mi
16 North National Avenue, Fort Scott
Mo-Th 11:00-24:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-02:00, Su 11:00-19:00
Aunt Toadies
Diner · American · 1.3 mi
1411 East Wall Street, Fort Scott
11 more on the map.
History
Established and garrisoned by the U.S. Army from 1842 to 1853, soldiers at military Fort Scott assisted with the protection of the Permanent Indian Frontier. After the army abandoned the fort in 1853, the buildings were purchased by local settlers at a government auction in 1855. The community of Fort Scott was laid out in 1857, and was chartered as a city in 1860.
Between 1855 and 1861, the citizens of Fort Scott experienced the violent unrest that preceded the American Civil War on the Kansas and Missouri border. Eastern newspapers described this violence as "Bleeding Kansas", a result of the national controversy concerning the extension of slavery into the new territories. On January 29, 1861, Kansas entered the union as a free state, but the turmoil of "Bleeding Kansas" continued throughout the Civil War.
During the Civil War, Fort Scott was a U.S. Army district Headquarters, quartermaster supply depot, training center, and recruitment station. It was strategically vital to the defense of Kansas and the Midwest. A battle over the fort occurred in August 1861 just across the Missouri line in the Battle of Dry Wood Creek. The battle was a pro-South victory for Sterling Price and his Missouri State Guard.
From the History section of Fort Scott, Kansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship6
First Congregational Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
First Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Healthcare2
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.1 mi
2322 South Main Street, Fort Scott
Map of Fort Scott
79 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 22°F | 1.4 in | 3.9 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 26°F | 1.8 in | 1.0 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 35°F | 2.9 in | 0.7 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 45°F | 4.8 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 76°F | 56°F | 6.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 86°F | 65°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 70°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 68°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 59°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 47°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 36°F | 2.8 in | 0.4 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 26°F | 2.0 in | 2.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ft Scott Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Bourbon County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2025-07-22: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-07-15: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-29: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-20: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2013-10-22: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Fort Scott Municipal Airport (FSK) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Uniontown 15 mi west, about 24 min by car
- Nevada 19 mi east, about 31 min by car
- Arma 20 mi south, about 32 min by car
- Pittsburg 29 mi south, about 46 min by car
- Chanute 43 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Columbus 46 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Webb City 49 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Carthage 51 mi southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Joplin 53 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Baxter Springs 56 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Fortscottks, The original uploader was Nationalparks at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.5
- Old Congregational Church, Ft Scott, from E 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- First Presbyterian, Fort Scott, from S 2, Ammodramus, CC0
- Fort Scott National Cemetery, SW from lodge 1, Ammodramus, CC0
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