The Kansas Republican Party was organized in Osawatomie in 1859 and Horace Greeley, founder and editor of the New York Tribune, attended the first convention on his famous overland journey to promote a transcontinental railroad.
The railroad, then the St. Louis-Kansas-Arizona line, reached Osawatomie in 1879, and later became the Missouri Pacific and now the Union Pacific and was for years the principal employer in Osawatomie. The Union Pacific still operates a major switching operation in Osawatomie.
Located next door to the Osawatomie History Museum, the MoPac Railroad Depot Museum is an exact replica of the 1890 Missouri Pacific passenger depot that celebrates the “glory days” of railroading.
Dedicated in 2002, the depot museum houses the majority of the Osawatomie History Museum’s railroad artifacts and memorabilia. Don’t miss the historic Caboose #942, which was originally a 1919 passenger car before its conversion. It is the only surviving horizontal wood-sheathed caboose from the Missouri-Pacific Line. It was been restored to 1940’s condition.
Tourism
Parts of Osawatomie's rich history are highlighted at local museums:
Hours of Operation:
Tuesday - Saturday:
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
or by Special Appointment
Phone: (913) 755-6781
Address:
Osawatomie History Museum
628 Main Street
Osawatomie, KS 66064
