| Vinland, Kansas | |
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| — Unincorporated community — | |
| Coal Creek Library in Vinland (c1900), the oldest subscription library in Kansas. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. | |
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Vinland, Kansas
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Douglas |
| Elevation | 889 ft (271 m) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| Area code(s) | 785 |
| GNIS feature ID | 479519[1] |
Vinland is a small agricultural unincorporated community south of the city of Lawrence and near Baldwin City in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. It is part of the Lawrence Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The first settlers came in 1854 or 1855; they were mostly abolitionists spurred on by the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Renowned Jayhawker Silas Soule was among them. Like much of eastern Kansas, Vinland struggled in the Bleeding Kansas period to keep the land free from slavery, and at least one man was killed in various skirmishes, including the Battle of Black Jack in June 1856. Some consider this to have been the "first battle of the American Civil War."
Today, "downtown" Vinland has about a dozen homes (many dating from the early part of the 20th century), an airfield (mostly used by small private planes), the Vinland Grange Hall, and Coal Creek Library (founded in 1859), the oldest extant subscription library west of the Mississippi River.
Most years since 1874 Vinland has hosted a country fair, attracting thousands of visitors; the 100th Vinland Fair was held in 2007.
It has rolling grassy hills and large maple trees. The topsoil is excellent for a wide variety of crops, including corn, wheat, milo, and alfalfa. Many dairy farms are also in the area.
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