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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April 6: 5K Run For History Fun Run/Walk
5K Run For History Fun Run/Walk Saturday, April 6, 2024 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Old Depot Museum, 135 W Tecumseh, Ottawa, KS 66067 Feel the spirit of the trains beneath your feet as you trace the paths of the AT&SF and the MoPac railroads during our Second Annual 5K Run/Walk, which kicks off at the Old Depot Museum! Whether you set your best time or enjoy a stroll with your friends, your $25 registration fee will help support the Franklin County Historical Society. Register by March 23 and receive…
Read MoreFebruary 8, 2022: Osage Women, Gender, & Empire
Osage Women, Gender, & Empire Presented by Dr. Tai Edwards Recording Available Historian Dr. Tai Edwards will speak on the research she has conducted for numerous publications (including her book) on Osage Women and Empire: Gender and Power. She will address aspects of colonialism and its impact, Indigenous power, and gender roles in the context of the Osage experience in modern-day Missouri and Kansas. Dr. Edwards is a history professor at Johnson County Community College. Her research and teaching focus on empire, Indigenous peoples, gender, and disease. She is…
Read MoreNEW DATE February 6, 2022: Santa Fe depot architecture subject of virtual annual meeting
“Santa Fe Depots: Form and Function,” presented by Bob Walz 85th Annual Meeting of the Members of the Franklin County Historical Society Recording Available Update: In deference to our Chiefs fans, we are moving our program to February 6, 2022, 2 p.m. What exactly is a depot and what is it for? Using images of depots along the Eastern and Western Lines of the AT&SF Railroad, Bob Walz will examine the history of the development of Santa Fe depots, from repurposed boxcars to large, ornate depots and everything in…
Read MoreCANCELED March 13: Pi Kappa Delta Centennial Exhibit Grand Opening Reception
Pi Kappa Delta: The Art of Persuasion: from Ottawa to the World 1913-2020 Exhibit Grand Opening Reception Friday, March 13, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Old Depot Museum In order to protect our staff, volunteers, researchers, and visitors, the Franklin County Historical Society is closing our facilities to the public and canceling events through March 29. The Pi Kappa Delta grand opening has been canceled, but the exhibit will open to the public at a later date. For more information, click here. Pi Kappa Delta, the oldest comprehensive intercollegiate…
Read MoreMake your own May Day basket on April 25
Old Depot Museum, 135 W Tecumseh, Ottawa, KS Wednesday, April 25, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. $7.50 per person – Ages 8 and up Learn about the history of May Day while making your own flowers and May Day basket! All materials will be provided. Registration is required. Last day to register: April 20. Register online or stop by the Old Depot Museum!
Read MoreNew exhibit examines Midwestern World War II Home Front effort through Franklin County photographer’s images
On Sunday, September 10, the Old Depot Museum will launch a new exhibit that explores what life was like for Kansans on the Home Front during World War II. The museum will be open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for the grand opening. Admission will be free for all visitors that day. Using artifacts and photographs, “Home Front in the Heartland, Revisited,” examines the patriotism and sacrifice typical of Midwesterners during the early 1940s. War bond ads, ration books, a Red Cross uniform and patriotic posters will all be…
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