Ottawa Travel Guide

  Franklin County Courthouse
by Basaic
 
  • Franklin County Courthouse
      Franklin County Courthouse
    by Basaic
  • Historic District
      Historic District
    by Basaic
  • Old Depot Museum
      Old Depot Museum
    by Basaic
  • Ottawa Main Street
      Ottawa Main Street
    by mrclay2000
  •   Ottawa
    by brdwtchr
 

Explore Ottawa

Things to Do  

Dietrich Cabin

Dietrich Cabin, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  Built by hardy German pioneers in the late 1850s, the Dietrich Cabin is the oldest home in Franklin County. Originally built a little outside the town limits (Ottawa not chartered until 1864) and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this walnut-wood cabin... 

Bored of Education

Bored of Education, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  The old Ottawa High School and Junior High are nearly identical buildings in the Late Gothic Revival style after designs by George Washburn. Built in the first quarter of the 20th century but abandoned since the 1980s, locals have been embroiled in finding the means and the... 

James H. Ransom House

James H. Ransom House, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  Begun in the 1890s and finally finished in 1901, this Late Victorian style mansion actually resides in a neighborhood full of similar homes. Owned by a prominent citizen (James H. Ransom, who helped to save the Hamblin House and other buildings from fire in the 1890s), this... 

Old Depot Museum

Old Depot Museum, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  Built in 1888 as the Santa Fe Railroad Depot, this classic stone structure is one of countless former depots that have since been restored as county or living museums (1962). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the depot served the railroad and rail... 

Carnegie Free Library

Carnegie Free Library, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  As usual, the Carnegie Free Library in rural Kansas become almost an automatic listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Designed also by George Washburn and built at the turn-of-the-century, this humble-looking construction is now the home of the Ottawa Community... 

Hamblin Building

Hamblin Building, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  The oldest date encountered on Main Street seems to be the former Hamblin Building, constructed in 1879. Not listed on the National Register specifically, this great building was once a public amusement hall, later a national bank and finally a grand hotel. The two latter... 

Hotels  

Best Western Ottawa Inn

 8 Opinions

Hampton Inn Ottawa

 7 Opinions

Restaurants  

The Barn And Underground: Historic Barn with historic bad service

The Barn And Underground: Historic Barn with historic bad service, Ottawa

 pixma520 Says:  Although this restaurant is unique (restored barn turned restaurant) The service is horrible. servers can be rude, food orders take forever, and management does not care. I've eaten in both the upstairs and downstairs areas. upstairs service is horrible, downstairs you have... 

Pizza Time: Second or first best pizza place in town

Pizza Time: Second or first best pizza place in town, Ottawa

 polrbear Says:  Good pizza delivery place. Used to be a mexican restaurant, but changed their theme unfortunately. Still good pizza. Pizza, pizza, pizza 

Nightlife  

This is the Dietrich Cabin. It...

This is the Dietrich Cabin. It..., Ottawa

 brdwtchr Says:  This is the Dietrich Cabin. It used to sit near the well travelled trail. Travellers would spend the night on the porch of the cabin. Now this cabin is in the park at 5th and Main. 

Transportation  

Getting to Ottawa without going through Canada

Getting to Ottawa without going through Canada, Ottawa

 polrbear Says:  I-35 south from Kansas City for about half an hour or Highway 59 south from Lawrence for 22 miles. 

Local Customs  

Saw this license plate on a...

Saw this license plate on a..., Ottawa

 brdwtchr Says:  Saw this license plate on a truck at Orscheln's. EAT BEEF while you are in Kansas. We raise a lot of cattle in this state. Eating beef while you are here supports the local economy. 

Warnings Or Dangers  

Stay out of trouble or you...

Stay out of trouble or you..., Ottawa

 brdwtchr Says:  Stay out of trouble or you will face the judge in this great old courthouse building. 

Tourist Traps  

Don't mistake this for the...

Don't mistake this for the..., Ottawa

 brdwtchr Says:  Don't mistake this for the real veteran's memorial. This stone is in the park on Main. The memorial is in front of the courthouse. 

What to Pack  

Packing List

Packing List, Ottawa

 brdwtchr Says:   Don't worry about bringing boots. You can buy boots and a hat at Orsheln's. You can also read the bulletin board there or look at saddles for sale. 

Off The Beaten Path  

First United Methodist Church

First United Methodist Church, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  Less appealing than the First Baptist but also standing on the periphery of the county courthouse is the First United Methodist Church. Similar to other United Methodist buildings throughout Kansas and Oklahoma, the Ottawa chapter has the medieval features of high gables and... 

First Baptist Church

First Baptist Church, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  Always with an eye to rich religious architecture, the Ottawa streets have several gorgeous examples. Prominent among these is the First Baptist Church across the street from the county courthouse. Built of gray stone and featuring wonderful stained-glass and a corner... 

Edward Haley Park

Edward Haley Park, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  Small, quaint but not entirely private, this tiny urban "park" stands in the hubbub of Main Street, but offers a shady if not peaceful retreat from the traffic of the downtown district. Full of benches and decorated by a plain fountain, visitors to historic Ottawa can take a... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Ottawa Braves Football

Ottawa Braves Football, Ottawa

 polrbear Says:  Watch the Ottawa University Braves' football team. Plenty of good seats available. 

Favorites  

Present-Day Ottawa

Present-Day Ottawa, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  Ottawa remains a thriving community today, and though its Main Street historic district is difficult to beat, it relies less on tourism than local industry to remain alive. Though situated roughly thirty miles south of the University of Kansas at Lawrence, Ottawa University... 

Historic Ottawa

Historic Ottawa, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  Though most of the buildings along Main Street now support modern businesses, the entire historic district seems authentic in every particular. Some facades are faded and lackluster, but the majority still retain their original facades and coloration, and the dates of... 

The Place

Plan a Ottawa vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Ottawa locals

Experience Ottawa
  •   35 Tips and Reviews
  •  45 Photos
  Share your Travels  
Map of Ottawa
 

The People

9 Members Live Here
 
Our Members Say
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 Saw this license plate on a truck at Orscheln's. EAT BEEF while you are in Kansas. We raise a lot of cattle in this state. Eating beef while you are here... 

9 members live in Ottawa

 

Questions and Answers

Valerj profile photo

Q:  My partner is trying to visit his parents - It seems there is not a Greyhound Station in Ottawa. Can anyone give us suggestions... 

coco18530 profile photo

A: Are you trying to get to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada or another Ottawa? If this is so, you can take the Greyhound, but it takes a day and a half with many transfers. ... 

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Top Ottawa Writers

1

One of Kansas' Finest Towns

mrclay2000 profile photo

 Kansas is one of the nation's leading states for preserving its old historic quarters. Almost every town in the Sunflower State has a long stand of Victorian-era and earlier buildings, some still... 

2

Ottawa, Kansas

basstbn profile photo

 Ottawa is located on Interstate 35 a little better than an hour southwest of Kansas City. It is at once a little more progressive than most towns of its size in the region, but careful to preserve its... 

3

brdwtchr's new Ottawa Page

brdwtchr profile photo

 Down town Ottawa has many colorful buildings. We stop there for antique shopping some times on way to KC. 

4

Ottawa isn't only Canadian, eh?

polrbear profile photo

 Ottawa is a nice little town half an hour south of Lawrence, Kansas and about half an hour southwest from Kansas City on I-35. It's home to Ottawa University, which is affiliated with the American... 

5

Basaic Ottawa Page

Basaic profile photo

 I've got some interesting experiences in Ottawa. I'd love to share with you the 0 tips I've written, the 3 photos uploaded, and 0 travelogues I've created. 

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