Category: News

November 12: History Trivia Night

Diana Staresinic-Deane
HISTORY TRIVIA NIGHT in neon lettering, surrounded by nerdy thought bubble lightbulbs.

History Trivia Night Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Not Lost Brewing, 229 S Main, Ottawa, KS Tickets: $25 each History Trivia Night is 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. Special thanks to Not Lost Brewing, Shanda Olmsted/Prestige Real Estate, and Kansas State Bank for sponsoring this event. Tickets are $25…

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October 24: Ottawa Memorial Auditorium Paranormal Investigation

Diana Staresinic-Deane
A large brick building trimmed with stone.

Ottawa Memorial Auditorium Paranormal Investigation Friday, October 24, 2025, 7:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. 301 S Hickory St, Ottawa, Kansas Tickets: $35 + fees   The Ottawa Memorial Auditorium and the Franklin County Historical Society host a one-night paranormal investigation of the OMA. Join us Friday, October 24th at 7:30pm for an evening of history, guided investigations of public and backstage spaces and 30 minutes of free-range investigation. We’ll conclude the evening with a group gathering to discuss our findings. The paranormal investigation is recommended for ages 14 and up.…

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October 16: The Farewell Tour: The Death Industry Downtown Ottawa Walking Tour

Diana Staresinic-Deane
Victorian-era downtown buildings. Building on far left includes a large sign that reads COFFINS & CASKETS.

The Farewell Tour: The Death Industry Downtown Ottawa Walking Tour Thursday, October 16, 2025, 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. Tours begin at Haley Park, 201 S Main, Ottawa, Kansas   Death is part of life in any town, and death industry services–undertakers, coffin makers, stone carvers, and concrete vault casters–have been an important part of Ottawa’s downtown since the town was founded. The Franklin County Historical Society’s August Third Thursdays Walking Tour will explore the history of Ottawa’s downtown death-related businesses in buildings along Main Street. Tours are free,…

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October 13: Buildings On the Brink Series: 207 S Main & 401 S Main

Diana Staresinic-Deane
A large two-story brick building at an intersection.

Buildings On the Brink Series: 207 S Main & 401 S Main Monday, October 13, 7 p.m. Ottawa Memorial Auditorium, 301 S Hickory, Ottawa, KS   Have you ever walked by an empty downtown historic building and hoped someone would bring it back to life? The Buildings on the Brink series features stories about downtown buildings that are now thriving, as told by the owners who gave those buildings a new life. We’ll explore the history of those buildings, the vision of their owners, and the trials and tribulations of…

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August 9: Life In Kansas During the Dust Bowl

Diana Staresinic-Deane
A long, dark dust cloud rolls across the land. Text: Dust Cloud Rolling Over Western Kansas Prairie Copyright Potter '35

Saturday, August 9, 2025, 2 p.m. Lane Community United Methodist Church 425 S Oak, Lane, Kansas 66042 Black Sunday – April 14, 1935 – is an unforgettable moment in history. The photographs from that day of the dust storm in southwest Kansas made headlines across America. How did Kansans respond to this challenging moment in history? Using eyewitness accounts and photographs, this presentation explores the impact and the legacy of the drought and the “Dust Bowl” on life in Kansas during the 1930s and beyond. Presenter Katie Keckeisen is the…

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June 27: Sod & Stubble (the movie)

Diana Staresinic-Deane
A man and woman in 19th century Western dress are backlit by a summer sky. Sod & Stubble.

Film based on the book by John Ise Friday, June 27, 2025, 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) Ottawa Memorial Auditorium, 301 S Hickory St, Ottawa, KS Purchase Tickets: $10 (plus fees and taxes) Join us for a motion picture retelling of this iconic Kansas story! Based on the book by John Ise (with updated research by Von Rothenberger), Sod & Stubble tells the story of the Henry and Rosie Ise, who homesteaded in Osborne County Kansas in the 1870s and battled through the many challenges of life on the…

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April 27, 2025 – Union Guerillas of Civil War Kansas (online & in person)

Diana Staresinic-Deane
Book cover for Union Guerillas of Civil War Kansas, featuring four portraits of men in 19th century attire

Union Guerillas of Civil War Kansas presented by Paul Thomas and Matt Matthews  Sunday, April 27, 2025, 2 p.m.  FCHS Archives & Research Center, 2011 E Logan St, Ottawa, KS  Or register for Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hZeBB-whSbyM_aXAzM8m-A Both before and during the American Civil War, ragtag groups of Kansas militants patrolled the Kansas-Missouri border. Known as “Jayhawkers” and later “Red Legs,” they raided anyone they believed sympathetic to secession. For many in the state, these irregular warriors were heroes fighting for a Free Kansas and preservation of the Union; for their victims,…

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April 5, 2025 – Third Annual 5K Run for History (Fun Run/Walk)

Diana Staresinic-Deane
Silhouettes of runners. Text reads 5K Run For History.

Third Annual 5K Run for History (Fun Run/Walk) Saturday, April 5, 2025, 9 a.m.  Old Depot Museum, 135 W Tecumseh St, Ottawa, KS  Register for the race: https://runsignup.com/Race/KS/Ottawa/FranklinCountyHistoricalSociety5K   Follow the historic routes of the AT&SF and Missouri Pacific Railroads past historic neighborhoods, a scenic cemetery, and the 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. Commemorative t-shirts are guaranteed for all registrations received by March 21.…

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April 23, 2025 – History Trivia Night

Diana Staresinic-Deane
History Trivia Night. Graphic includes neon signs and light bulbs.

History Trivia Night Wednesday, April 23, 2025, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.  Not Lost Brewing, 229 S Main St, Ottawa, KS 66067 Doors Open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets: https://square.link/u/etM581FU Bring your random history knowledge to the Franklin County Historical Society’s first-ever History Trivia Night! All proceeds will support the Franklin County Historical Society. Play solo or bring a team! Tickets include one beverage; participants are welcome to bring food from other local restaurants. Special thanks to Not Lost Brewing, Shanda Olmsted/Prestige Real Estate, and Kansas State Bank for sponsoring this…

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October 25-26: Paranormal Investigations at Ottawa Memorial Auditorium

Diana Staresinic-Deane

FCHS and OMA are partnering to offer you the opportunity to investigate the haunted century-old Ottawa Memorial Auditorium! Click here for October 25 Stage Fright Tickets Click here for October 26 Boos and Brews Tickets Stories of otherworldly activities have haunted the century-old auditorium for decades. This October, ghost hunters will have the opportunity to investigate the rumors themselves. Ottawa Memorial Auditorium and the Franklin County Historical Society are partnering to take investigators behind the scenes at OMA to confirm or refute stories of ghosts in the historic auditorium. Stage…

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