Tag: Franklin County

New Exhibit Features Historic Maps of Ottawa

Diana Staresinic-Deane
Background shows a translucent image of the index page from the 1884 Ottawa Sanborn Fire Insurance Map. Text reads Our City in Sanborns: The City of Ottawa in Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, 1884-1924

Our City in Sanborns: The City of Ottawa in Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, 1884-1924 Now through July 2022 at the Old Depot Museum   The Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps were first published in the 1860s to help fire insurance agents assess risk to commercial, industrial, and residential buildings and properties. Sanborn ultimately printed more than 50,000 editions of maps for 12,000 U.S. towns and cities through the 1950s. Because these maps were expensive—ranging in price from $12 to $200 depending on the year and the size of the city—communities often…

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April 13: Trails of Kansas: Past, Present, and Future (Online Event)

Diana Staresinic-Deane
Green-leafed trees arch over a gravel trail. The cover of the book Kansas Trail Guide is highlighted in the lower left corner.

Trails of Kansas: Past, Present, and Future presented by Jonathan Conard and Kristin Conard April 13, 7 p.m. Click here for recording The history of trails runs deep across the Kansas plains.  From the historic Oregon, Santa Fe, and Chisholm Trails to the steady growth in recreational trails throughout our state today, there are more opportunities than ever to explore Kansas on foot, bike, or horseback.  Trails that connect the past to the present are found throughout the state and we highlight some of the most scenic and interesting trails…

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New exhibit highlights teen’s photos of 1950s Franklin County

Diana Staresinic-Deane
A black-and-white image shows a teen boy standing with a camera on a tripod, photographing a sun setting over a body of water. The exhibit title Through a Teen's Lens: The Photography of Jack Bremer appears in the upper right-hand corner.

Through a Teen’s Lens: The Photography of Jack Bremer Now through March 2022 at the Old Depot Museum Before Jack Bremer found his calling as a United Methodist minister and social activist, he was a teenager with a camera. The Old Depot Museum’s newest exhibit, “Through a Teen’s Lens: The Photography of Jack Bremer,” showcases 50 photographs Bremer captured during the early 1950s. The exhibit will be on display through March 2022. Bremer’s photographs caught the attention of the Franklin County Historical Society in June of 2020, when his daughter,…

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January 31:Historic maps the topic of this year’s virtual historical society annual meeting

Diana Staresinic-Deane
An image of a hand-drawn 19th century map, featuring streets, buildings, and the Marais des Cygnes River is in the background. A photo of a man with a beard is featured in the foreground. The words "Mapping the Past" and "84th Annual Meeting of the Members of the Franklin County Historical Society" float over the map.

“Mapping the Past,” presented by Kelly Johnston 84th Annual Meeting of the Members of the Franklin County Historical Society Sunday, January 31, 2021, 2 p.m.   Click Here For Recording   Before technology like drones, aerial photography, and GPS, 19th and early 20th century cartographers were creating incredibly accurate and detailed maps of small and large towns and their historic structures. Kelly Johnston will explore the history of some of these maps and how they can be used to research the history of buildings and towns during his presentation at…

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Congratulations to our newly reelected board members!

Diana Staresinic-Deane

On February 9, 2021, 1 p.m., a panel of ballot judges– two staff members and a volunteer–opened, reviewed, and tabulated all received proxy ballots submitted in the election of our FCHS Board of Trustees. 163 ballots were mailed. 69 ballots were returned by noon on February 9, 2021, which is a return rate of 42 percent. 67 ballots were cast in favor of reelecting Sara Caylor, Robbin Kerth, and Juanita Peckham to the FCHS Board of Trustees for three-year terms. Two ballots were returned blank, and the ballots were disqualified. Because…

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Invitation to Bid on Roof Repairs and Painting/Plastering Projects at the Old Depot Museum

Diana Staresinic-Deane

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS INVITATION TO BID Roof Project & Painting/Plastering Project OLD DEPOT MUSEUM, also known as the Ottawa Santa Fe Depot OTTAWA, KANSAS Building Description Completed in 1888, the two-story limestone building with a prominent terne-metal roof served as a depot for the Southern Kansas and then AT&SF railroad lines until 1962, when the structure was donated to the Franklin County Historical Society. FCHS reopened the building as the Old Depot Museum in 1963.   Project Descriptions Project #1: Repairing both the terne-metal roof and wooden platform roof to…

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Presentation, exhibits explore Women’s Suffrage in Kansas and Franklin County

Diana Staresinic-Deane

The Franklin County Historical Society will host a presentation and outdoor and indoor exhibits to commemorate the centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote. On August 18, 7 p.m., FCHS will host “The Long Road to Women’s Suffrage in Kansas,” a presentation and discussion by Diane Eickhoff.  The free program will be offered via Facebook Live at facebook.com/olddepotmuseum. The program is made possible by Humanities Kansas. Kansas was historically a leader in women’s rights, yet the campaign for voting rights in Kansas…

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Now through December: New museum exhibit explores history of hotels in Franklin County

Diana Staresinic-Deane

The Old Depot Museum’s newest exhibit explores the first century of Franklin County’s Hotels and how they reflect the needs of the towns they served. “Rooms For Rent” includes photographs and artifacts from twenty Franklin County hotels, including hotels that once served Richmond, Williamsburg, Rantoul, Lane, Wellsville, Princeton, and Ottawa. When new towns were established on the prairie, hotels were among the first structures built, said Diana Staresinic-Deane, FCHS Executive Director. Those early hotels served as accommodations for travelers and residents building businesses and homes, community dining halls, meeting rooms,…

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May 1: Trivia Night (Facebook Live!)

Diana Staresinic-Deane

Trivia Night – Franklin County Edition (Via Facebook Live!) Friday, May 1, 7 p.m. We’re bringing a Franklin County edition of Trivia Night to you via Facebook Live! Play alone or build a team. Cheating to find answers is encouraged. Ask Google. Ask Jeeves. Ask your mom. Just be honest about your score! Questions will be family friendly and the most fun for ages 12 and up. Can’t join us that night but still want to play? The video will post to facebook shortly after the event is over. You…

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CANCELED: April 22: Unboxing History (Facebook Live Event)

Diana Staresinic-Deane

CANCELED: Unboxing History Series (Online!) Wednesday, April 22, 2 p.m. Franklin County Records & Research Center We’re going to do this program via Facebook Live! Follow us on Facebook for details. The Franklin County Historical Society is home to more than 67,000 artifacts, including textiles, photographs, archives, and other objects. You’re invited to explore the hidden world of the FCHS collection–one box at a time! During each program in our new Unboxing History series, Collections Manager Gloria Kruse and Archives and Research Specialist Ashley Brannan will select one box of…

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