| Osawatomie
Driving Tour
Osawatomie, Kansas 66064
(913) 755-2146
while in Osawatomie, also visit
the Creamery
Bridge & John
Brown Museum |
John Brown Country - Kansas Historical Marker |
The Mills House - Built in 1902 by William M. Mills, who made his fortune
in the oil industry.
The house is a private residence and is listed on the National Register.
When visiting Osawatomie, Kansas, stop by the John
Brown Museum, Osawatomie History & Railroad Museum, or the
tourist information center in the First Land Office and pickup a copy of
the "Signs of the Past" brochure which gives a driving tour of interesting
historical sites in the community. Warning - many of the tour locations
on the map are off by a block or two. This page includes photos of many
of the stops on the Osawatomie Driving Tour. You can also download
a 2016 version of the tour.
The name Osawatomie derived from a combination of Osage
and Potawatomi. The community was settled in 1854 by Free-State families
from the Ohio Valley and New England. Among those families were John Brown,
five of his sons, his sister Florella Adair, and her husband Reverend Samuel
Adair. Brown launched his famous raid into Missouri to free African American
slaves. Two battles were fought in Osawatomie between Free-State and Proslavery
supporters.
In May of 1859, the Republican Party of Kansas was organized
in Osawatomie.
1905 Asylum Bridge
The first land office in Osawatomie. Built in 1854 In the summer
it is open as a tourist information center.
The Kansas Republican Party was organized by Horace Greeley at the
corner of Sixth and Main Streets on
May 18, 1859. At that time, the Osage Valley Hotel was here and a crowd
of 5,000 people filled and
surrounded the hotel. The current building is the Osage Valley Block
built in 1890.
Osawatomie History and Railroad
Museum at 628 Main the museum has artifacts from the city's early
history and a replica Union Pacific depot with railroad artifacts.
Open Tuesday through Sunday from 1 - 4 PM.
Old Stone Church built by Reverend Samuel L. Adair and his son Charles.
It was dedicated on July 14, 1861.
Today it is used for weddings and other events.
The Creamery Bridge on the Marais des
Cygnes River is one of two Marsh Arch triple span
bridges located at Osawatomie.
The Soldiers Monument (August 30, 1877) honors the five men killed
in the
battle of Osawatomie on August 30, 1856. Four of them are buried next
to
the monument
John Brown statue by George Fite Waters. Located in John Brown Memorial
Park near the John Brown Museum.
John Brown Museum website
Osawatomie Driving Tour
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copyright 2006-2021 by Keith
Stokes |