Osawatomie City Manager, Mike Scanlon recently drew out his vision for a completely revitalized Osawatomie Downtown District that includes a plan for a new library and visitors center, all inside existing City owned buildings in the 500 block of Main Street. He also has a plan to get Osawatomie earmarked as a “designation” as a National Park to obtain Federal funding, calling it John Brown National Historic Park. He says that Harper’s Ferry is such a site and he believes Osawatomie is more important than Harper’s Ferry in American history.
With that National designation, Scanlon says the city could better promote tourism and cement Osawatomie’s reputation as the “Home of John Brown” and a key location during the Bleeding Kansas Era.
A proposed public hearing on a Community Block Grant, scheduled for April 13th has been cancelled. No decision were made at the meeting.
