On May 30, 1854, Pres. Franklin Pierce signed the hotly contested Kansas-Nebraska Act. Before the ink was dry, squatters settled on the 322-acre plot of land bounded by the Fort Leavenworth Military Reservation (to the north) and Three Mile Creek (to the south). From Bleeding Kansas to western expansion, many historical figures have called Leavenworth home, including Fred Harvey, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Wild Bill Hickok, to name but a few. The landscape is decorated with buildings and homes featuring a beauty and grandeur that have stood the test of time. Originally known as the "Queen City of the West, " this metropolis would become one of the largest manufacturing cities in America, providing goods and services to markets all over the world. Historical churches, the Leavenworth VA Medical Center, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, and Leavenworth National Cemetery all contribute to the town's pioneering spirit that is second to none.