Ottawa (pronounced ) is a city in, and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of,
Franklin County,
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...
, United States.
It is located on both banks of the
Marais des Cygnes River
The Marais des Cygnes River ( , ) is a principal tributary of the Osage River, about long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 31, 2011 in eastern Kansas and western Miss ...
near the center of Franklin County. As of the
2020 census, the population of the city was 12,625.
It is the home of
Ottawa University
Ottawa University (OU) is a private Baptist university with its main campus in Ottawa, Kansas, a second residential campus in Surprise, Arizona, and adult campuses in the Kansas City, Phoenix and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. It was founded in ...
.
History
19th century
The name derives from the
Ottawa tribe of Native Americans, on whose reservation the city was laid out. In the spring of 1864, title to the land was obtained from the tribe through treaty connected to the founding of
Ottawa University
Ottawa University (OU) is a private Baptist university with its main campus in Ottawa, Kansas, a second residential campus in Surprise, Arizona, and adult campuses in the Kansas City, Phoenix and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. It was founded in ...
, the Ottawa having donated 20,000 acres of land to establish and fund a school for the education of Indians and non-Indians alike. The word Ottawa itself means “to trade”. In 1867, the Ottawa tribe sold their remaining land in Kansas and moved to Indian Territory in Oklahoma.
[Dixon, Rhonda]
"The Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma."
''Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma.'' (16 Feb 2009).
On the last day of March, 1864, J.C. Richmond built the first non-Indian settlement in the new town, at the corner of Walnut and First streets.
Flooding
Ottawa has a history of
flood
A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrol ...
ing because of its location straddling the Marais Des Cygnes river. The area's first recorded flood was the
Great Flood of 1844 The Great Flood of 1844 is the biggest flood ever recorded on the Missouri River and Upper Mississippi River, in North America, in terms of discharge. The adjusted economic impact was not as great as subsequent floods because of the small populatio ...
. In 1928, a flood crested at 38.65 feet and killed six people. Other flood years include 1904, when water crested at 36 feet and ran to a man's shoulders in the Santa Fe depot; 1909, cresting at ; 1915, cresting at , and 1944, cresting at .
However, it is the
Great Flood of 1951
In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise of water in the Kansas River, Missouri River, and other surrounding areas of the Central United States. Flooding occurred in the Kansas, Neosho, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins. ...
which is the most famous. It was about five inches higher than the 1928 flood. The flood of 1951 affected much of Missouri and Kansas and 41 people died. One-third of Ottawa was covered because of this flood.
It is unlikely Ottawa will suffer major damage due to a flood again thanks to a series of levees and pumping stations built by the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
, colors =
, anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day)
, battles =
, battles_label = Wars
, website =
, commander1 = ...
in the 1960s, which is part of a larger system of flood systems to regulate the Marais Des Cygnes River to the
Missouri River. The levees built along the river are inspected on an annual basis to insure their quality.
20th century
In 1943, German and Italian prisoners of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
were brought to Kansas and other Midwest states to help solve the labor shortage caused by American men serving in the war. Large
internment camps were established in Kansas:
Camp Concordia, Camp Funston (at
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...
), Camp Phillips (at
Salina under
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...
).
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...
established 12 smaller branch camps, including Ottawa.
Geography
Ottawa straddles the
Marais des Cygnes River
The Marais des Cygnes River ( , ) is a principal tributary of the Osage River, about long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 31, 2011 in eastern Kansas and western Miss ...
and is located southwest of
Kansas City at the junction of
U.S. Route 59 and
K-68.
U.S. Route 50 and
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...
bypass Ottawa to the south and east, while
business US-50 passes through the city.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Climate
Over the course of a year, temperatures range from an average low of about in January to an average high over in July. The maximum temperature reaches an average of 52 days per year and reaches an average of 6 days per year. The minimum temperature falls below the freezing point (32 °F) an average of 105 days per year. Typically the first fall freeze occurs between the beginning of October and early November, and the last spring freeze occurs between the end of March and late April.
The area receives nearly of precipitation during an average year with the largest share being received in May and June—the April–June period averages 29 days of measurable precipitation. During a typical year the total amount of precipitation may be anywhere from 28 to . There are on average 87 days of measurable precipitation per year. Winter snowfall averages almost 16 inches, but the median is less than . Measurable snowfall occurs an average of 8 days per year with at least over an inch of snow being received on five of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 6 days per year.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2010, there were 12,649 people, 4,998 households, and 3,127 families living in the city.
The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was . There were 5,518 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.0%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 2.2%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.9%
Native American, 0.4%
Asian, 1.6% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 3.9% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 5.0% of the population.
There were 4,998 households, of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were
married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.4% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.08.
The median age in the city was 33.2 years. 27% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 22.9% were from 45 to 64; and 13.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.
2000 census
As of the
U.S. Census in 2000,
there were 11,921 people, 4,697 households, and 3,034 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 5,080 housing units at an average density of . The
racial
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
makeup of the city was 92.77%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 2.31%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.22%
Native American or
Alaska Native, 0.53%
Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 1.31% from other races, and 1.86% from
two or more races
2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...
.
Hispanic or Latino
''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for example, by the United States ...
of any race were 4.16% of the population.
There were 4,697 households, out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were
married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.
The
median income for a household in the city was $34,071, and the median income for a family was $41,710. Males had a median income of $30,050 versus $22,891 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $16,840. About 6.8% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Ottawa's two major employers are
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
and
American Eagle Outfitters
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc., also known as American Eagle, is an American lifestyle, clothing, and accessories retailer headquartered at SouthSide Works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1977 by brothers Jerry and Mark Silverma ...
who both maintain
distribution centers in the city. Ottawa has freight rail service from
BNSF
BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...
railway. There is also a
grain elevator operated by the Ottawa Co-Op. The city operates the
Ottawa Municipal Airport, a small
General Aviation
General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
airport four miles south of the city.
Government
![Franklin County Courthouse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Franklin_County_Courthouse.JPG)
Ottawa was governed by a Mayor-Council system until 1913 when the City became a Commission form of government. In 1970 voters established the City Manager form of government with a five-member Commission that annually selects a Mayor from its ranks.
The citizens of Ottawa elect commissioners at-large. Three seats on the Commission are open every odd numbered year. Two Commissioners are elected to four-year terms and one is elected to a two-year term.
Education
Colleges and Universities
The private four year university,
Ottawa University
Ottawa University (OU) is a private Baptist university with its main campus in Ottawa, Kansas, a second residential campus in Surprise, Arizona, and adult campuses in the Kansas City, Phoenix and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. It was founded in ...
, is within Ottawa, and Ottawa is also home to a branch campus of
Neosho County Community College.
Primary and secondary
The community is served by
Ottawa USD 290 public school district, which has five schools:
*
Ottawa High School
* Ottawa Middle School
* Garfield Elementary School
* Lincoln Elementary School
* Sunflower Elementary school
Ottawa has several private schools.
* Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary School
* Pilgrim Bible Academy
* Ottawa Christian Academy
Media
Newspapers
There is one publication which serves the city of Ottawa, the ''
Ottawa Herald'', which was founded in 1869. It is owned by
GateHouse Media.
A monthly publication for seniors also serves Ottawa:
Kaw Valley Senior Monthly
Radio
Ottawa has four radio stations, one AM and three FM.
KOFO broadcasts on 1220 with the tagline ''Your News source for
East-Central Kansas
East-Central Kansas is a region of Kansas. It is located between the Kansas City metropolitan area and Southeast Kansas, and on the border with Missouri. The region extends westward towards the Flint Hills to Lyon County. East-Central Kansas geog ...
''. KOFO airs country music from across the decades, and specializes in local news.
KCHZ 95.7 FM is licensed to Ottawa (and was, at one time, owned by KOFO); its studios are in
Mission, Kansas
Mission is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States, and part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 9,954.
History
An Indian mission was established in 1829 at the town's site, hence ...
. 88.9 is home to the
Ottawa University
Ottawa University (OU) is a private Baptist university with its main campus in Ottawa, Kansas, a second residential campus in Surprise, Arizona, and adult campuses in the Kansas City, Phoenix and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. It was founded in ...
student station,
KTJO-FM
KTJO-FM (88.9 FM) was a radio station broadcasting a modern rock music format. Licensed to Ottawa, Kansas, United States, the station was owned by Ottawa University.
The University surrendered the station's license to the Federal Communicatio ...
. 90.5FM features the Ottawa-based KRBW's Christian programming.
Entertainment
Downtown Ottawa is home to
the Plaza Grill and Cinema (formerly the Crystal Plaza and Bijou Theater) which, in 2013, was discovered to be the oldest operating cinema in America. Plans for an exhibit are in the works.
[The Plaza Grill and Cinema](_blank)
Notable people
*
Steve Grogan
Steven James Grogan (born July 24, 1953) is a former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for sixteen seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football at Kansas State University and was sel ...
, former
New England Patriots quarterback, led Ottawa to a runner-up place in state football and to a state championship in basketball.
*
Don Harrison
Don Harrison (August 8, 1936 – May 2, 1998) was an anchor on CNN Headline News from 1982 until his death from renal cancer in 1998. He was a member of the original team of anchors when Headline News went on the air for the first time as "CNN2" ...
, news anchor, one of the original anchors of
CNN Headline News
*
Gary Hart, former Democratic U. S. Senator from Colorado and Presidential Candidate in 1984 and 1988
*
Steven Hawley
Steven Alan Hawley (born December 12, 1951) is a former NASA astronaut who flew on five U.S. Space Shuttle flights. He is professor of physics and astronomy and director of engineering physics at the University of Kansas.
Early life
Hawley w ...
, American astronaut (considers Salina as his hometown)
*
Isaac Smith Kalloch, signatory of Ottawa's original town company charter, later became
Mayor of San Francisco
The mayor of the City and County of San Francisco is the head of the executive branch of the San Francisco city and county government. The officeholder has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by ...
*
Semi Ojeleye
Jesusemilore Talodabijesu "Semi" Ojeleye ( ; born December 5, 1994) is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for Virtus Bologna of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroLeague. He played college basketball for both Duke ...
, forward for the
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...
selected 37th overall in the 2nd round of the
2017 NBA Draft
The 2017 NBA draft was held on June 22, 2017, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players.
...
, led Ottawa to a state championship in basketball.
*
Stanley Sheldon, bassist and vocalist for
Peter Frampton, most notably on Frampton's ''
Frampton Comes Alive!
''Frampton Comes Alive!'' is the first double live album by English rock musician Peter Frampton, released in 1976 by A&M Records. It is one of the best-selling live albums. " Show Me the Way", "Baby, I Love Your Way", and "Do You Feel Like We D ...
'' album.
*
John G. Thompson
John Griggs Thompson (born October 13, 1932) is an American mathematician at the University of Florida noted for his work in the field of finite groups. He was awarded the Fields Medal in 1970, the Wolf Prize in 1992, and the Abel Prize in 2008.
...
, a prominent mathematician.
*
Jerry Voorhis, U. S. Representative for
California's 12th congressional district
California's 12th congressional district is a congressional district in northern California. Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, has represented the district since January 2013. She has represented ...
from 1937–1947
See also
*
Ottawa Municipal Airport
*
Great Flood of 1951
In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise of water in the Kansas River, Missouri River, and other surrounding areas of the Central United States. Flooding occurred in the Kansas, Neosho, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins. ...
*
Old Depot Museum
The Old Depot Museum is a history museum located in Ottawa, Kansas. The focus of the museum is primarily on the regional history of Franklin County, and the importance of trains to the development of small towns. It features history of local Nat ...
*
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (season 9)
*
Franklin Savings Association
References
Further reading
External links
City of OttawaOttawa - Directory of Public OfficialsOttawa Area Chamber of CommerceOttawa city map KDOT
{{Authority control
Cities in Kansas
County seats in Kansas
Cities in Franklin County, Kansas