The Franklin County Historical Society, Plaza Cinema, and Kansas Silent Film Festival are partnering to bring three fun and spooky films accompanied by live music to the Plaza Cinema, 209 S. Main, Ottawa, Kansas, on Saturday, October 20, at 7:30 p.m. Bill Shaffer, former producer/director at KTWU, will emcee the October 20 event, which starts at 7 p.m. The evening’s lineup includes the short films Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1920) and Dr. Pycle & Mr. Pryde (1925) and the feature film Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (also 1920). What…
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“Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” Silent Film Event October 20
Plaza Cinema, 209 S Main, Ottawa, KS Saturday, October 20, 2018, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $15 + tax The Plaza Cinema, Franklin County Historical Society, and Kansas Silent Film Festival are once again partnering to bring you a spectacular silent film event featuring a LIVE musical score performed by keyboardist Marvin Faulwell and percussionist Bob Keckeisen, with introductions by Bill Shaffer. This year’s films include shorts DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE (1920), DR. PYCLE & MR. PRYDE (1925), and the feature length film DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE (1920), starring John…
Read MoreKansas and the 1918 Flu Epidemic, featuring historian Tyler Johnson
Neosho County Community College, 900 E Logan, Ottawa, KS Sunday, November 4, 2018, 2 p.m. In 1918, an influenza epidemic killed millions of people around the world. One hundred years later, scientists and historians are still working to understand how it started. Historian Tyler Johnson will present the story of the 1918 Influenza outbreak’s start in Western Kansas, the national outbreak, Kansas’s battle against the flu, and how Ottawa fared during the outbreak. He will also discuss death tolls and theories of how the pandemic started. This program is free…
Read MoreHistoric sign lights up Old Depot Museum
Rick Hamman of Coffelt Sign Company puts the final touches on the newly restored 1962 Ottawa sign in the Model Railroad Room at the Old Depot Museum in Ottwa, Kansas. The sign is one of a pair that once served as a beacon for trains arriving at Ottawa’s fifth and final Santa Fe depot, which opened in 1962. Passenger service ended in 1971. Restoration and installation was completed by Coffelt Sign Company of Emporia, Kansas, and funded in part by a grant from the Caroline E. Hewitt Trust.
Read MorePioneer Days camp comes to Dietrich Cabin this summer!
Pioneer Days at the Little Cabin 2018 Dietrich Cabin, City Park, 5th and Main, Ottawa, KS A summer camp for kids ages 7 to 12 Session 1: May 21, 22, 23 (MTW) Session 2: June 6, 7, 8 (WThF) Session 3: June 12, 13,1 4 (TWTh) See below for camp fees and registration deadlines. Space is still available in Session 3! The deadline has been extended until June 1, 2018. Take a trip back in time and learn what it was like to live in a cabin. Dress, eat, work, and…
Read MoreDietrich Cabin Spring 2018 Hours Announced
Step back in time at the 1859 Dietrich Cabin! Learn about life in 19th-Century Franklin County. Dietrich Cabin is located in City Park at 5th and Main streets in Ottawa, Kansas. Kids are always welcome! Admission is free, but donations to help FCHS maintain the cabin are always appreciated. Spring 2018 Dietrich Cabin Hours Sunday, April 15, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (weather cancellation) Sunday, April 29, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 20, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 10, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 16,…
Read MoreCritter Companions exhibit opening March 17
Pets the subject of new exhibit at Old Depot Museum Ottawa, Kansas—The Old Depot Museum’s new exhibit explores Franklin County’s relationship with animals. Critter Companions, a look at working animals and companion pets, opens March 17. Before the 19th Century, most animals found in average households were working animals. Cats chased mice, dogs scented game, and horses provided transportation. During the mid-1800s, companion animals, which had once been common only among more affluent households, began to find their way into the hearts and homes of average citizens. As members of…
Read MoreOld Depot Museum Holiday Hours
Share the gift of history with family and friends! Make a visit to the Old Depot Museum part of your holiday season.
Read MoreAuthor Paul Thomas to speak about Kansas ghosts, history
Ghost stories and Kansas history will be the focus of author Paul Thomas’s presentation on Sunday, October 29, 3 p.m. at Neosho County Community College in Ottawa, Kansas. Thomas has long been interested in Kansas folklore and the ghost stories of northeastern Kansas. As a student at the University of Kansas, he cofounded the Stephenson Hall Paranormal Investigation Team, which investigated purportedly haunted locations in and around the Lawrence area. His new book, Haunted Lawrence, looks at the ghosts of one of Kansas’ oldest towns. He explores the stories—and the…
Read MoreCemetery tour explores history and art in Ottawa’s Highland Cemetery
Cemeteries are a snapshot of a community’s history, and on Sunday, October 15 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Franklin County Historical Society will host a special event at Highland Cemetery in Ottawa, Kansas. This year’s tour is designed to help participants discover the stories of Franklin County through the history of its people and funerary art. Established in 1886, Highland Cemetery is Ottawa’s second cemetery. The first, Hope Cemetery, was established in 1865, but Ottawans quickly discovered that Hope Cemetery was prone to flooding. They chose a new…
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