If you're trying to capture a little knowledge before school begins, the John Brown Museum in Osawatomie offers the history of the infamous Kansas-Missouri Border Wars in the years leading up to the Civil War.
John Brown, an abolitionist from the east, moved to Kansas with his five sons in 1855. He became notorious for his ruthless fighting against proslavery forces.
Brown’s half-sister, Florella Adair had settled near Osawatomie with her husband, the Reverend Samuel Adair. Their home became a station on the Underground Railroad and Brown established his headquarters at their cabin.
Today the cabin is housed inside a stone structure on the hill where John Brown fought proslavery militia in the Battle of Osawatomie. The John Brown Museum presents the history of “Bleeding Kansas.”
Brown later led the capture of the US Arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Col. Robert E. Lee, leading a company of US Marines, attacked the following morning, killing ten of Brown’s men and wounding him. He was later tried and hanged.
Learn more about John Brown and the Border Wars at the museum, which is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. For more information, visit http://kansastravel.org/johnbrownmuseum.htm.
Osawatomie offers a self-guided driving tour of historical sites. See http://kansastravel.org/osawatomiedrivingtour.htm to discover the important role this small town played in American history.
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