Tourism
Osawatomie’s history traces back to 1854 when abolitionists laid claim to the territory. Famous abolitionist John Brown’s time in Osawatomie began Bleeding Kansas and brought the battle against slavery to the national stage.
Portions of this rich history are highlighted at the local museums:
Recognized nationally as one of the towns that sparked the Civil War, Osawatomie boasts seven sites on the National Register of Historic Places:
Other historic places in or around Osawatomie include:
Osawatomie State Hospital
The Kansas Legislature established the Osawatomie State Mental Hospital in 1863, the first mental hospital west of the Mississippi River. It admitted its first patient in 1866, and is still operation.
First Land Office
This land office building was built in 1854 and was used by the first mayor of Osawatomie, H.B. Smith, and his brother who were the first land patent agents in the territory. It was deeded to the city in 1954 by A.Q. Youngberg as a memorial to his wife. Formerly a Tourist Information Center in the summers, it was operated by the Osawatomie Historical Society.
John Brown Lookout - Located north of 319th and Lookout Road, this high point in the county was used as a Civil War lookout. There is now a ladder there that can be used to cross the fence line for access to the lookout. An exhibit at John Brown State Historic site also features John Brown Lookout
Flood Marker - A historic flood of the Marais des Cygnes River occurred in 1951. A marker was placed north of 343rd and one-half mile east of Columbia Road to show the height of the water, 50.3 feet, which has yet to be matched.
