February 10, 2025

TOPEKA — An historic territorial-Kansas Osawatomie church is among 10 nominations from Kansas to the National Register of Historic Places. The Osawatomie Congregational Church at 315 6th Street was built after the Battle of Osawatomie during the pre- Civil War period called Bleeding Kansas. The Rev. Samuel Adair lead the church congregation until 1893. He married Florella Brown, who was the half-sister of fighting abolitionist John Brown. The city of Osawatomie owns the building. The one-room stone building is nominated for its local significance in history and architecture. The Soldiers’ Monument on the northeast corner of Ninth and Main in Osawatomie was also nominated for its historic significance. The Soldiers’ Monument and its 11-foot shaft of Vermont marble was erected in 1877 just two blocks from the site of the Battle of Osawatomie where five free-state men died defending the town from attacking pro-slavery forces on Aug. 30, 1856. The monument has the names of those five men, as well as John Brown, who lead the free-state forces during the battle, and was later executed in Virginia for his raid on the Harpers Ferry arsenal and failed attempt to start a slave rebellion. Two sites in Arvonia Township in southwestern Osage County were also nominated to the national register. The Arvonia School was built in the Welsh community of Arvonia in 1872 and was used until it was closed in 1949. The school was designed by pioneer Kansas architect John Haskell, and is one of the earliest-known architect-designed schools in Kansas. It was nominated for its connection to early-day education and to the Welsh settlements in Arvonia Township. The Calvinistic Methodist Church, also in Arvonia Township, was also nominated because of its pioneer significance, its architecture and for its Welsh heritage. Arvonia Township is north of Lebo and lies between Melvern Lake and I-35. A Fort Scott redevelopment group is seeking permission to move the Long Shoals bridge, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, from its present location over the Little Osage River in Bourbon County near Fulton 16 miles to a spot over the Marmaton River in Fort Scott. The Fort Scott/Bourbon County Riverfront Authority seeks to use the bridge for a river trail along the Riverfront area in Fort Scott. The authority said the move will protect the bridge, which has been closed and in a state of dangerous disrepair.
Wednesday, May 23, 3 p.m.

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