150 years ago this week, a band of raiders from Missouri led an attack on Lawrence, Kan. More than 180 people were killed as the city burned.
Tensions had been high in the region for decades, ever since Missouri was granted status as a slave state in 1820. Kansas was a free state, and that led to violence on both sides of the state border.
In the years since, Lawrence rebuilt and became home to the University of Kansas. Some fans of the Universities of Missouri and Kansas point to the raid as the start of a heated rivalry between the schools.
And on the anniversary of that raid, orchestrated by Confederate leader William Quantrill, some Missourians celebrated Quantrill's actions. This family burned Kansas merchandise in celebration:
@The_Antlers celebrating 150 years
mike anderson
@tigermikey33
@The_Antlers celebrating 150 years
Others chose to tweet:
Today we celebrate the sesquicentennial of Quantrill's raid. It's a good day to be a Tiger! #mizzourah
Em
@bRantingz
Today we celebrate the sesquicentennial of Quantrill's raid. It's a good day to be a Tiger! #mizzourah
/ Via
A very happy 150th Quantrill Day to the fine Missourians out there. Relish in victory.
Jordan Allen
@JewishJordan13
A very happy 150th Quantrill Day to the fine Missourians out there. Relish in victory.
/ Via
150 yrs. ago today General Quantrill did us all a favor and burned Lawrence to the ground. #neverforget #MIZ #Fku
Jared Buchanan
@jackbuck8
150 yrs. ago today General Quantrill did us all a favor and burned Lawrence to the ground. #neverforget #MIZ #Fku
/ Via
RIP to my homeboy @WQuantrill1863, a real American hero #burnlawrence
Dustin Thoenen
@DT_thoenen
RIP to my homeboy @WQuantrill1863, a real American hero #burnlawrence
Happy burn kansas day #rockchalkchickenhawk #fuckkU
Ryan Rolwing
@RyanOtto24
Happy burn kansas day #rockchalkchickenhawk #fuckkU
/ Via
Happy #Quantrill day!!! 150 years ago today, Missourians first walked into Lawrence and proudly were able to say "Scoreboard"! #burnlawrence
Travis Cook
@RealTravisCook
Happy #Quantrill day!!! 150 years ago today, Missourians first walked into Lawrence and proudly were able to say "Scoreboard"! #burnlawrence
/ ViaSome Missourians sent texts.
And one Kansas City-area Mizzou bar celebrated with drink specials.
Today is 150 years since Quantrill's raid on Lawrence, Kansas. He led troops to loot, kill and burn anything in sight. Today, I drink to him
Greg Loeffler
@greg_loeffler
Today is 150 years since Quantrill's raid on Lawrence, Kansas. He led troops to loot, kill and burn anything in sight. Today, I drink to him
/ ViaA group of reenactors in Lawrence also live-tweeted the events of the day, including eerie tweets from an account in the voice of Quantrill himself:
WE RIDE! BURN LAWRENCE TO THE GROUND! DEATH TO JAYHAWKERS! #QR1863
WilliamQuantrill1863
@WQuantrill1863
WE RIDE! BURN LAWRENCE TO THE GROUND! DEATH TO JAYHAWKERS! #QR1863
/ ViaHurrah for Quantrill! Hurrah for the South! Hurrah for Dixie! #QR1863
WilliamQuantrill1863
@WQuantrill1863
Hurrah for Quantrill! Hurrah for the South! Hurrah for Dixie! #QR1863
/ ViaNever look back! We have friends along the way and a victory celebration awaiting at home. #QR1863
WilliamQuantrill1863
@WQuantrill1863
Never look back! We have friends along the way and a victory celebration awaiting at home. #QR1863
/ ViaBut people in Lawrence took the day in stride. One local brew pub, Free State Brewing Co., had a special beer on tap, aptly titled Phoenix Rising.
If you're not drinking a Phoenix Rising today then you're doing it wrong. #QR1863
Free State Brewing
@FreeStateBeer
If you're not drinking a Phoenix Rising today then you're doing it wrong. #QR1863
