Ottawa Travel Guide

 
by RoscoeGregg
 
  •   Ottawa
    by RoscoeGregg
  • The Restored Store Front
      The Restored Store Front
    by RoscoeGregg
  • A View Of The Counter
      A View Of The Counter
    by RoscoeGregg
  • Coffee and a Quick Bite
      Coffee and a Quick Bite
    by RoscoeGregg
  • Right Down Town
      Right Down Town
    by RoscoeGregg
 

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... 

Downtown Historic District

Downtown Historic District, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  Since 1972, the downtown historic district has rightfully taken its place on the National Register of Historic Places. Built from 1872 to the late 1890s, sometimes in eclectic, sometimes in Victorian styles, the historic quarter runs for several blocks along Main Street, its... 

County War Rolls

County War Rolls, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  The county seats in America not only have the courthouse somewhere in town but usually a war memorial somewhere on the courthouse lawn. Such is the case in Ottawa, which since its founding in 1864 has produced soldiers for America's foreign causes since the Spanish-American... 

Franklin County Courthouse

Franklin County Courthouse, Ottawa

 mrclay2000 Says:  One of the most imaginative in the entire state, this George Washburn designed county courthouse is a gorgeous building and still the center of town life in Ottawa. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and built in the Romanesque style in 1893, this seat of... 

Hotels  

Super 8 Ottawa Ks

 19 Opinions

Hampton Inn Ottawa

 19 Opinions

Restaurants  

Bella Cucina: A Great Stop For Coffee and a Bite

Bella Cucina: A Great Stop For Coffee and a Bite, Ottawa

 RoscoeGregg Says:  We stopped here for a quick coffee and a bite on our way to pick up some new goats for our herd. It turned out to be a good thing. The counter staff was friendly and well trained. The coffee was good and the atmosphere was relaxing and pleasant. It was clean and the food a... 

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... 

Nightlife  

This is the Dietrich Cabin. It...
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brdwtchr 1398 reviews

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.

Written Oct 4, 2002

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Local Customs  

Saw this license plate on a...
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brdwtchr 1398 reviews

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.

Written Oct 4, 2002

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Tourist Traps  

Don't mistake this for the...
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brdwtchr 1398 reviews

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.

Written Oct 4, 2002

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What to Pack  

Packing List
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brdwtchr 1398 reviews

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: 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.

Written Oct 4, 2002

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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... 

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... 

Comments

Map of Ottawa