Fort Scott in Bourbon County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
The Learning Tree (1969) Film Scene Location
Site location: Filming the Judge Cavanaugh's House Scene, 1968
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 21, 2026
1. The Learning Tree (1969) Film Scene Location Marker
This scene location depicts the home of Judge Cavanaugh where filming was completed both inside and outside the home. This was the home in which Sarah Winger worked as a maid and where Newt and his mother and father talk to the Judge about the crime he witnessed at Jake Kiner's Barn. Bottom photos depict the interior of the home's library during the filming.
Sidebar:
Written, directed, produced, and soundtrack composed by Gordon Parks Fort Scott native son In 1989 The Learning Tree (A Warner Bros. - Seven Arts Inc. Production) was one of the first 25 films selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant.
Erected by Bourbon County Kansas, City of Fort Scott, Fort Scott Area Community Foundation, Fort Scott Community College and Humanities Kansas and Peerless.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1989.
Location. 37° 49.775′ N, 94° 42.455′ W. Marker is in Fort
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Kansas and specifically in Bleeding Kansas Border War Country. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, on the prairies, and on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Normal Victory Bell (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fort Scott dragoon soldiers (approx. 0.6 miles away); Memorial Hall (approx. 0.6 miles away); Gunn Park (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Little White House (approx. 0.7 miles away); 1st Kansas Colored Infantry (approx. 0.7 miles away); In Honored Memory (approx. 0.7 miles away); Fort Scott Spanish American War Memorial (approx. 0.7 miles away).
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 21, 2026
2. The Learning Tree (1969) Film Scene Location Marker
Also see . . . Cavanaugh House (archived). From Fort Scott Community College's website, this is the QR code on the marker (unfortunately it is no longer live as of 2026). (Submitted on October 9, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
Photographed by Jason Voigt, September 21, 2026
3. The Learning Tree (1969) Film Scene Location Marker
Shot of the front of the house
Credits. This page was last revised on October 9, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 9, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 9, 2026, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.
