News – Page 4 – Franklin County Historical Society

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

April 23, 2021April 23, 2021 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…

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

March 25, 2021March 26, 2021 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,…

May 4: Petroglyphs of the Kansas Smoky Hills (Online Event)

March 25, 2021March 25, 2021 Diana Staresinic-Deane

Petroglyphs of the Kansas Smoky Hills presented by Rex Buchanan Tuesday, May 4, 7 p.m. Via Zoom and Facebook Live Click here to register for Zoom Access Too often Kansas history seems to start with the Coronado’s trip through the state in 1541. For centuries before European arrival, Native people lived on the plains, and some left behind rock carvings on soft sandstone in the middle of the state. Based on the book Petroglyphs of the Kansas Smoky Hills (University Press of Kansas, 2019), this presentation focuses on these carvings,…

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

February 12, 2021April 4, 2021 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…

Congratulations to our newly reelected board members!

February 10, 2021 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…

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

January 11, 2021January 15, 2021 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…

Old Depot Museum, Records Center hours and restrictions as of January 1, 2021

January 8, 2021January 8, 2021 Diana Staresinic-Deane

The Old Depot Museum and the Franklin County Records & Research Center are now open for limited hours. Please note that these hours and restrictions will change as mandated by county and state health officials. Museums and archives face special challenges during a pandemic because artifacts and archives cannot be sanitized without risking permanent harm to the object. Limiting exposure and allowing time for viruses and bacteria to die off naturally is an important line of defense in keeping staff, volunteers, visitors, and artifacts safe. The Old Depot Museum will…

POSTPONED: Foam on the Range, presented by Isaias McCaffery – December 16

November 17, 2020December 8, 2020 Diana Staresinic-Deane

Foam on the Range Wednesday, December 16, 7 p.m. Watch via Facebook Live Wherever You Are Watch at Not Lost Brewing and enjoy a round courtesy of The Gun Guys in Ottawa, KS This event has been postponed. A new date will be announced in the spring. Settle in with your favorite beverage for a story about prohibition, an attempt to thwart immigrant brewers, and immigrant perseverance in Kansas! Watch this program live online from wherever you are or watch it over dinner and beer at Not Lost Brewing! Details…

Exhibit celebrates Women’s Suffrage in Kansas and Missouri

November 17, 2020 Diana Staresinic-Deane

Several African American Women lobbying for the right to vote stand in a line.

Demanding a Greater Future: Celebrating a Centennial of Women’s Suffrage Now through December 5 Old Depot Museum “…because she is a progressive being ever out-growing the past and demanding a higher and greater future…” – Moneka Women’s Rights Association statement of purpose, 1858 Demanding a Greater Future: Celebrating a Centennial of Women’s Suffrage marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment by exploring the efforts women in Missouri and Kansas undertook to secure voting rights. Demanding a Greater Future examines the national struggle for women’s suffrage to…

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

August 10, 2020 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…