Tourism
Osawatomie is a community of about 4,200 people located in the rolling hills of eastern Kansas on the Marais des Cygnes River (Marsh of the Swans). The town is in southwest Miami County, just 30 miles south of the junction of I-169 and I-35 which is the southern edge of the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Osawatomie is the only town by that name in the United States and probably in the world. The town was named for two Indian tribes, the Osage and the Pottawatomie, for which the two rivers bordering Osawatomie were named. The Osage River was called the Marais des Cygnes (marsh of the swans) by French explorers and trappers living among the tribes, and the Kansas Legislature later adopted the name "Marais des Cygnes" in Kansas because there is another Osage River in Kansas.
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.
But don’t let the history overshadow this town’s modern conveniences. Visitors needing to recharge their electric vehicles can get a boost at one of more than 20 charging stations. The EV stops offer users options for shopping, visiting with friends or enjoying a park while recharging their batteries.
