National Register of Historic Places

Franklin County Courthouse

Ottawa, Franklin County, Kansas
Listed
March 17, 1972
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
72000502

About this property

The Franklin County Courthouse, located in Courthouse Square on Main Street in Ottawa, is the seat of government of Franklin County, Kansas. The courthouse was built in 1892. Although Ottawa had been the county seat since 1864, it lacked a permanent courthouse prior to then. Architect George P. Washburn designed the courthouse in the Romanesque Revival style; the red brick courthouse is considered one of Washburn's "most outstanding works". The design features four square corner towers, a typical feature of Washburn's designs; two cupolas on the roof include a bell tower and a clock tower. The intricate roof design includes a main hipped roof with gable ends on each side and steep hipped roofs atop the towers. The roof line is ridged with a metal spine, and a dentillated cornice runs beneath the roof's edge. The east and west entrances to the courthouse are through large porches supported by brick columns and topped with balconies. The second-story windows are arched and connected by a band of stone. The courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 17, 1972.

Location

Ottawa, Franklin County, Kansas
38.61334, -95.26767

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Franklin County Courthouse

This page lists Franklin County Courthouse. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Franklin County Courthouse report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Downtown Ottawa Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Dietrich Cabin
Industrial
0.2 mi
Ransom, James H., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Ottawa High School and Junior High School
Industrial
0.2 mi
Reid, Lyman, House
Industrial
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Black Jack
1856Mexican-American War
10.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Franklin County Courthouse listed on the National Register?

Franklin County Courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 17, 1972.

What type of historic resource is Franklin County Courthouse?

Franklin County Courthouse is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Franklin County Courthouse?

The period of significance for Franklin County Courthouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Franklin County Courthouse?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Franklin County Courthouse will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Franklin County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Franklin County.

Explore FranklinCounty ›

More historic places in Kansas

Browse all historic places in Kansas.

View Kansashistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Kansas history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Kansashistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Franklin County Courthouse will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report