News – Page 5 – Franklin County Historical Society

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

July 10, 2020August 10, 2020 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,…

Phased Reopening Begins June 17!

June 10, 2020August 9, 2020 Diana Staresinic-Deane

August 9, 2020: Our hours and availability have updated! Please click here for the latest information. Beginning June 17, the Old Depot Museum and the Franklin County Records & Research Center will phase into reopening with appointments during limited hours. 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.…

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

April 20, 2020April 27, 2020 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…

CANCELED: April 25: Adrian Zink presents Wicked Kansas

March 24, 2020March 24, 2020 Diana Staresinic-Deane

Wicked Kansas presented by Adrian Zink Saturday, April 25, 2 p.m. NCCC, 900 E Logan, Ottawa, KS Free Event; Books for Sale Following the restrictions set by state and county health officials, the Franklin County Historical Society has canceled all in-person events through the month of April. We hope to reschedule this event when it is safe to do so. Adrian Zink is back! The Hidden History of Kansas author will talk about his new book, Wicked Kansas, which explores the seedier side of the Sunflower State–murders, cons, extrajudicial killings…

FCHS facilities temporarily closed to public

March 23, 2020March 23, 2020 Diana Staresinic-Deane

In order to protect our staff, volunteers, researchers and visitors, the Franklin County Historical Society is taking the following precautions: The Old Depot Museum at 135 W Tecumseh in Ottawa, Kansas, will be closed to the public through Sunday, March 29 until further notice. We recognize that Kansas’ experience with COVID-19 is changing rapidly, and FCHS buildings will remain closed while KDHE and the county health department recommend limiting group sizes. The Franklin County Records & Research Center at 1124 W 7th Street Terrace in Ottawa, Kansas, will be closed…

CANCELED April 7: Petroglyphs of the Kansas Smoky Hills

March 23, 2020March 24, 2020 Diana Staresinic-Deane

Petroglyphs of the Kansas Smoky Hills presented by Rex Buchanan Tuesday, April 7, 7 p.m. Neosho County Community College Ottawa Campus, 900 E Logan, Ottawa, Kansas Following the restrictions set by state and county health officials, the Franklin County Historical Society has canceled all in-person events through the month of April. We hope to reschedule this event when it is safe to do so. For centuries, native inhabitants of the land now known as Kansas have carved elaborate images in the soft sandstone of the Smoky Hills. Many of these…

CANCELED March 13: Pi Kappa Delta Centennial Exhibit Grand Opening Reception

March 13, 2020March 24, 2020 Diana Staresinic-Deane

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…

January 26: Franklin County’s Civil Conservation Corps topic of this year’s historical society annual meeting

January 14, 2020 Diana Staresinic-Deane

From 1933 until 1942, the Civilian Conservation Corps employed millions of young, unmarried men in jobs related to conservation and natural resource development as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. Tod Bevitt will explore how the C.C.C. impacted Kansas and Franklin County during their presentation at the 83rd Annual Meeting of the Members of the Franklin County Historical Society on Sunday, January 26, 2 p.m. at Neosho County Community College in Ottawa, Kansas. The Civilian Conservation Corps was arguably one of Roosevelt’s most successful New Deal programs. The…

Announcing the Laura Ingalls Wilder Commemorative Series

September 26, 2019September 26, 2019 Diana Staresinic-Deane

Library and historical society launch Laura Ingalls Wilder Commemorative Series Ottawa, Kansas—125 years ago, Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family traveled through Franklin County on their way to what would be their permanent home in Mansfield, Missouri. This fall, Ottawa Library and the Franklin County Historical Society are partnering to commemorate the event while exploring Wilder’s impact on Kansas and literature. On August 16, the Wilders entered Franklin County. In her journal, which would later be published as On the Way Home: The Diary of a Trip from South Dakota…

Franklin County Museum Hopper Weekend returns August 3-4, 2019

July 30, 2019 Diana Staresinic-Deane

Four Franklin County museums are partnering to promote local history on August 3 and 4. Appanoose Museum, the Old Depot Museum, and Richmond Community Museum are returning for the second annual Museum Hopper Weekend to encourage visitors to explore the rich history of Franklin County. New to the event this year is Williamsburg Community Museum. Admission to all four museums is free during Museum Hopper Weekend. Some participating museums are also offering giveaways and refreshments. Hours, locations, and featured exhibits include Appanoose Museum: 600 Shawnee Road, Pomona (from Pomona, turn…