The purpose of the candlelight tour as originally conceived was to draw visitors to the site and to participate in the city’s holiday celebration, held the first weekend in December.

Today, the candlelight tour still serves those two functions, but it has evolved into a pageant of mid nineteenth century history in Southeastern Kansas. It lends a sense of enchantment to the site, it brings the fort to life, and it provides visitors a unique opportunity to experience our nation’s turbulent history during the years from 1842-73.

This year's tour will be focused on events that took place in Decembers of various years of the fort's history from the frontier fort era of the 1840s through the Civil War. Scenes will include a celebration of victory after the Mexican War, a raid on Fort Scott in 1858, talk of Lincoln's visit to Kansas during his run for the presidency, and the excitement that African Americans at Fort Scott may have felt on the eve of the Emancipation Proclamation.

This year’s tour will be held December 4 and 5, 2009. Tours on December 4 will begin at 6:30 p.m. and go every 15 minutes until 9 p.m. On Saturday, December 5, the tours will run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets go on sale Monday, November 2.

Candlelight Tour Ticket Policy