Old Depot Museum

The Old Depot Museum occupies a restored railroad station building dating from 1888, spread across two floors that display exhibits related to regional rail transportation. The collections focus on how railroads shaped local development and settlement patterns.

The building served from 1888 as a division headquarters for the Kansas City, Lawrence and Southern Kansas Railway until the company ceased its operations at that location in 1962. The Franklin County Historical Society then took over the structure and converted it into a museum to preserve rail transport and local history.

Visitors can walk through recreated rooms that show what daily life looked like in Franklin County, including a schoolroom, general store, dentist office, and parlor furnished in the Victorian style. These spaces reveal how people worked and lived in the region.

The museum is located in a quiet building and can be explored at your own pace across both floors. Visitors should allow about 1 to 2 hours to walk through the rooms and examine the collections comfortably.

In the basement, a detailed model railroad layout developed since 1965 displays miniature scenes of Franklin County locations as they appeared in the 1950s. This elaborate display continues to be refined and expanded by volunteers and staff.

Location: Ottawa

Address: 135 West Tecumseh Street

GPS coordinates: 38.62044,-95.26971

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:41