Cemeteries: Kite’s Eye Views
Saturday, May 2, 2026, 2 p.m.
In person: FCHS Archives & Research Center, 2011 E Logan St, Ottawa, KS
Register for Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-Ld9fCeMTxebBo4E4-AVTw
Kite-aerial photography provides unique bird’s-eye views of cemeteries with respectful, silent operation. It’s especially useful for identifying cemetery burial patterns and unmarked graves. Jim and Susie Aber will show examples of modern, pioneer, and prehistoric cemeteries from the United States, Canada, and Denmark.
Local Stories of Melvern Lake
Saturday, May 30, 2026, 2 p.m. (New Date)
In person: FCHS Archives & Research Center, 2011 E Logan St, Ottawa, KS
Register for Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AWZpLTDiREyl40Ex6yxp8Q
Melvern Lake provides both flood control and recreation, but those who lived there before the lake was built have different stories to share. Using oral histories as the base of her research, Lynsay Flory weaves elements of their stories together. The result is a new perspective on the Marais des Cygnes flood control project. From heart breaking land loss to the benefit of rural water, Flory shares a tale of Melvern Lake rarely told. Note: This program was originally scheduled for April 11.
A History of the American Indian Boarding Schools
Saturday, June 13, 2026, 2 p.m.
In person: FCHS Archives & Research Center, 2011 E Logan St, Ottawa, KS
Register for Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KL8QvX4QRX64UAREp40B3A
Renewed calls for investigations into the abuses to American Indian children have brought new scrutiny to the boarding school system. This talk will examine the thinking behind the creation of federal schools for youth including Haskell Indian Nations University, originally known as the United States Indian Industrial Training School, and how this system affected Native communities in the short and long term. The American Indian story is one of cultural survival, but what are the next steps for reckoning with this difficult and painful part of our national history? This program is made possible thanks to Humanities Kansas.
History Trivia Night
Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
In person only: Not Lost Brewing, 229 S Main St, Ottawa, KS
$25 per person; teams of 1-6 players welcome
Purchase tickets here: https://square.link/u/rcLIS9EJ
Back by popular demand! Bring your random history knowledge to the Franklin County Historical Society’s History Trivia Night. All proceeds will support the Franklin County Historical Society. Play solo or bring a team. Tickets include one beverage. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Tell Your Own Story
Saturday, July 18, 2026, 2 p.m.
In person only: FCHS Archives & Research Center, 2011 E Logan St, Ottawa, KS
Participants listen, laugh, and linger over memories of their lives. In telling our own stories, we discover our uniqueness, as well as our common ground. Inspired by the importance of preserving and sharing our history during the 250th anniversary of the signing of America’s Declaration of Independence, Priscilla Howe’s presentation is a hands-on workshop for Kansans interested in becoming storytellers for their own families, communities, or as preservers of Kansas’s wide range of dynamic folk traditions.This event is made possible by Humanities Kansas as part of “By the People: Beyond 250,” an initiative of the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
Past Events:
Fourth Annual 5K Run for History
Saturday, April 4, 2026, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Starting line: Old Depot Museum, 135 W Tecumseh St, Ottawa, KS
$25 per person
Registration has closed.
Marais des Cygnes River! Whether you want to set your best time or enjoy a stroll with your friends, your $25 registration fee will help support the Franklin County Historical Society.
