Oswego, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Oswego is a city in and the county seat
of Labette County
, Kansas
, United States
,, and situated along the Neosho River
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,829.
. More specifically, the Osage Village of Little Town was described as "Little Town Above" by the Jesuits, to distinguish it from another village, which was sometimes located just to the east of Little Town, called "Little Town Below." While Osage villages were moved quite often (according to weather, hunting conditions, and sanitary conditions) Little Town Above was generally located on the bluff overlooking the Neosho River, where Oswego sits today. Little Town Below often sat near Horseshoe Lake, in the Neosho River Valley about a mile due east of Oswego. During the 1850s, Little Town was often referred to as "White Hair's Town," in honor of a resident of the village named Iron Hawk. Iron Hawk was named Grand Tsi Shu Chief (or Peace Chief) of the Osage Nation (through the 19th Century, it was tradition for the Osage Chief to take the name "White Hair".
A study of the baptismal records of the Jesuits at Osage Mission reveals that several white or mixed white and Osage families lived in or near Little Town before the Civil War. Several mixed white and Cherokee families also lived in or near the present site of Little Town, likely just east of the village in the Cherokee Neutral Lands or to the south, near Chetopa. One family of mixed Osage blood that lived at Little Town before the Civil War was the John Mathews family, who operated a blacksmith/gunsmith shop on the site and ran a trading post. Mathews first purchased the trading post at Little Town from Augustus Chouteau in either 1838 or 1843, depending upon the source. Mathews was married to both Mary Ann Williams and Sarah Jane Williams, daughters of William Sherley Williams, better known as "Old Bill Williams" and his Osage wife, Wind Blossom.
Mathews was a slaveholder from Kentucky, as evidenced by the baptismal records of the Osage Mission. Before the Civil War, Mathews was involved in driving off settlers from the adjacent Cherokee Neutral Lands and in stirring Southern sympathies among Native Americans living on the frontier. Early in the spring of 1861, Mathews was commissioned a captain in the Confederate Army and given orders to organize a company of soldiers from among sympathetic Native Americans, specifically, the Quapaw. In June 1861, he held a meeting at the house of Larkin McGhee in the nearby Osage village of Chetopa, and organized a company of Osages and mixed-blood Cherokees for the Confederate Army. One of his sons, John Mathews, Jr. joined this company. September 8, 1861, Mathews led another company, this one made up of Osages, mixed-blooded Osages and Cherokees, and border ruffians. This second company raided and looted Humboldt Kansas, capturing no less than a dozen freed slaves. James Lane put a $1000.00 bounty on the head of Mathews, who was soon betrayed by a man who worked at his ranch. The man helped James G. Blunt
and the Kansas 6th Volunteer Cavalry (and the Humboldt Home Guard) track down Mathews. He was killed at the house of William Blythe, rented by Lewis Rogers, just south east of Chetopa.
The next day, local residents were tried by James G. Blunt, in an impromptu court martial. Mathews ranch and trading post at Little Town was subsequently burned. The ranch had consisted of a two story, double log cabin (covered with burr siding, and sporting plastered walls), a blacksmith shop, a stable, slaves quarters, a well house, a smoke house, a woodshed, other out buildings, as well as two race tracks. He had title to 100 acre (0.404686 km²) on the bluff and 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) below. He had no less than 100 head of cattle and 50 horses. His possessions and the stock of the trading post (including 50 buffalo robes and six bear skins) were distributed among the volunteers who had tracked him down. Little Town and many houses at Chetopa were also burned. The site of Little Town remained unoccupied by whites during the war. Most, but not all, of the Osages fled Kansas during the Civil War. Mathews own children fled to Texas and Kentucky.
In 1865 a number of settlers located at this point and called the town, "Little Town." Two years later the Oswego town company was organized and so named for Oswego
, New York
, whence many of the settlers had come. Lots were given away to every person who would erect a building, with the result that the town grew very rapidly. The organization of Oswego as a city of the third class took place in February 1870. The town was made a city of the second class by proclamation of the governor in 1880.
The first frame house was put up by Dr. William S. Newlon in September 1865. The first frame store building was erected by Thomas J. Buntain, though the first store was opened in a log building in 1865 by Rexford & Elsbee. The postoffice was established in 1867 with Nelson Carr postmaster. At that time there were two provision stores, since Oswego was on the military road. M. George had opened a blacksmith shop and D.W. Clover a hotel, which was not only an inn for the public, but the county headquarters, a political rendezvous and a news center. This was the second hotel, the first having been built in 1866 by William A. Hogaboom. In 1868 Mr. Shanks operated the first pottery and made several kilns of stoneware; a cotton-gin was set up the same year. The first bank was opened in 1868 by W. M. Johnson, who was forced two years later to make an assignment of all that he had to satisfy his creditors. The second bank was started in July 1870, by B. F. Hibart and H. L. Taylor, which was a success. The State Bank of Oswego started business a few weeks later, but discontinued after a short time, as there was not business enough for two banks. In September 1870, a steam sawmill was erected by Macon, Krell & Cowell.
The first newspaper was the Oswego Register, established in 1868 by E.R. Trask. The first church was the Congregational, which was organized in May 1868, and the Presbyterian church was founded in July of the same year. The first school was taught in 1867. The public library association was organized in 1877 and continues in the form of Oswego Public Libraryhttp://oswegolibrary.org, a Carnegie Library
, today. The telephone system was put in operation in 1882; the waterworks in 1887; and the first electric lights were turned on July 12, 1888, but were turned off a few months later.
state line and 30 miles (48.3 km) west of the Missouri
line. It is situated along the southern bluffs overlooking the Neosho River
valley. It is at the junction of U.S. Route 59
and U.S. Route 160
. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), all of it land.
, there were 2,046 people, 776 households, and 489 families residing in the city. The population density
was 956.9 people per square mile (369.1/km²). There were 890 housing units at an average density of 416.2 per square mile (160.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.30% White, 3.32% Black or African American, 1.42% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.88% from other races, and 2.88% from two or more races
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% of the population.
There were 776 household
s out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples
living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 105.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.
The median income for a household
in the city was $30,656, and the median income for a family was $38,631. Males had a median income of $26,289 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $12,974. About 8.5% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.9% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.
The Southeast Kansas Interlocal District Number 637, in conjunction with USD 504, offers an At-Risk Preschool (ages 3–5).
, Kansas
-based Labette Community College
holds classes on the Oswego High School site.
Pittsburg State University
, an NCAA Division II school in the Kansas Board of Regents
system, is located approximately thirty miles away in nearby Pittsburg
, Kansas
.
The Oswego Historical Museum and Genealogy Department, owned by the Oswego Historical Society, Inc., offers guided museum tours featuring period-style theme rooms, genealogical research, and tours of an original log cabin, a partially reconstructed building original to the Oswego townsite.
The newer of the two museums, the Southeast Kansas Education Museum offers exhibits "to collect, preserve and make available history & artifacts of Southeast Kansas and other countries of the world." They cover subjects such as Japan
, Native American culture, Wildlife, the United States Postal Service
, Nautilus, and international life.
and online databases through Kan-ed, a service sponsored by the State of Kansas.
The community of Oswego is served by the Oswego Public Library (OPL), a Carnegie Library
. OPL offers a vast collection of books, DVD
s, periodicals, audio books, and videos. Internet access is also available through the use of patron-access computers or the Library's free Wi-Fi
access.
(OCH), a twelve bed Critical Access hospital administered by HMC/CAH, Inc. and supported by Via Christi Hospital (Pittsburg) of Pittsburg
, Kansas
and Labette Health
of Parsons
. OCH has a contractual agreement with Eagle-Med to provide Air Ambulance
services to any local or regional hospital.
Labette Health
of Parsons
, in conjunction with the Labette County Health Department, provides emergency ambulatory services to the hospital best-qualified to treat each patient.
Labette Health and Via Christi Hospital of Pittsburg
, Kansas
provide the closest Level III Trauma Centers, the only two emergency rooms to achieve Level III rating in the State of Kansas
.
Two Level II Trauma Centers, St. John's Regional Medical Center
and Freeman Health System, are located approximately thirty-five miles away in the regional hub of Joplin
, Missouri
, while the closest Level I Trauma Centers are in Tulsa
, Oklahoma
.
Fairgrounds, the 10000 square feet (929 m²) Oswego Community Center, the historic Oswego City Pool, shelter houses, walking trails, RV campgrounds, and playground equipment. Riverside Park also includes tennis courts, horseshoe pits, and two baseball/softball fields, as well as ample parking.
Many of the stone structures were built in the 1930s as WPA
projects.
provided a grant to the City of Oswego to replace the concrete deck surrounding the pool, as well as the protective chain link fence. Work was also done to replace the aging diving board stands and water slide.
, the 1000 square feet (92.9 m²) facility plays host to a number of community events, including weddings, county fair exhibits, and community luncheons.
, Kansas
.
The daily Parsons Sun, of nearby Parsons, Kansas
, also covers Oswego. The nearest major newspaper is the Joplin Globe.
Oswego is located in the Joplin
, Missouri
/Pittsburg
, Kansas
broadcast market area and receives the majority of its television and radio signals from those two cities.
serves the general aviation
needs Oswego and the surrounding area.
Joplin Regional Airport
, located approximately 33 miles (53.1 km) east of Oswego in Joplin
, Missouri
provides the nearest commercial service, with direct flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and connections to any airport commercially served by American Airlines
. Tulsa International Airport
, located approximately 100 miles (160.9 km) south of Oswego in Tulsa
, Oklahoma
, provides the closest non-stop internationally service to major destinations worldwide.
Schools
Newspapers
Historical
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Labette County
Labette County, Kansas
Labette County is a county located in southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 21,607. Its county seat is Oswego, and its most populous city is Parsons...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
,, and situated along the Neosho River
Neosho River
The Neosho River is a tributary of the Arkansas River in eastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma in the United States. Its tributaries also drain portions of Missouri and Arkansas. The river is about long. Via the Arkansas, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed.- Course :The Neosho's...
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,829.
History
Oswego is located on the site of an Osage village called No tse Wa spe, which means "Heart Stays" or more loosely translated, "Quiet Heart." Jesuit Missionaries from Osage Mission (now St. Paul, Kansas) who worked among the Osages called the village "Little Town," probably because the band of Osages who lived in the village were of the "Little Osage" division of the Osage PeopleOsage Nation
The Osage Nation is a Native American Siouan-language tribe in the United States that originated in the Ohio River valley in present-day Kentucky. After years of war with invading Iroquois, the Osage migrated west of the Mississippi River to their historic lands in present-day Arkansas, Missouri,...
. More specifically, the Osage Village of Little Town was described as "Little Town Above" by the Jesuits, to distinguish it from another village, which was sometimes located just to the east of Little Town, called "Little Town Below." While Osage villages were moved quite often (according to weather, hunting conditions, and sanitary conditions) Little Town Above was generally located on the bluff overlooking the Neosho River, where Oswego sits today. Little Town Below often sat near Horseshoe Lake, in the Neosho River Valley about a mile due east of Oswego. During the 1850s, Little Town was often referred to as "White Hair's Town," in honor of a resident of the village named Iron Hawk. Iron Hawk was named Grand Tsi Shu Chief (or Peace Chief) of the Osage Nation (through the 19th Century, it was tradition for the Osage Chief to take the name "White Hair".
A study of the baptismal records of the Jesuits at Osage Mission reveals that several white or mixed white and Osage families lived in or near Little Town before the Civil War. Several mixed white and Cherokee families also lived in or near the present site of Little Town, likely just east of the village in the Cherokee Neutral Lands or to the south, near Chetopa. One family of mixed Osage blood that lived at Little Town before the Civil War was the John Mathews family, who operated a blacksmith/gunsmith shop on the site and ran a trading post. Mathews first purchased the trading post at Little Town from Augustus Chouteau in either 1838 or 1843, depending upon the source. Mathews was married to both Mary Ann Williams and Sarah Jane Williams, daughters of William Sherley Williams, better known as "Old Bill Williams" and his Osage wife, Wind Blossom.
Mathews was a slaveholder from Kentucky, as evidenced by the baptismal records of the Osage Mission. Before the Civil War, Mathews was involved in driving off settlers from the adjacent Cherokee Neutral Lands and in stirring Southern sympathies among Native Americans living on the frontier. Early in the spring of 1861, Mathews was commissioned a captain in the Confederate Army and given orders to organize a company of soldiers from among sympathetic Native Americans, specifically, the Quapaw. In June 1861, he held a meeting at the house of Larkin McGhee in the nearby Osage village of Chetopa, and organized a company of Osages and mixed-blood Cherokees for the Confederate Army. One of his sons, John Mathews, Jr. joined this company. September 8, 1861, Mathews led another company, this one made up of Osages, mixed-blooded Osages and Cherokees, and border ruffians. This second company raided and looted Humboldt Kansas, capturing no less than a dozen freed slaves. James Lane put a $1000.00 bounty on the head of Mathews, who was soon betrayed by a man who worked at his ranch. The man helped James G. Blunt
James G. Blunt
James Gillpatrick Blunt was a physician and abolitionist who rose to Union major general during the American Civil War.-Early life & career:...
and the Kansas 6th Volunteer Cavalry (and the Humboldt Home Guard) track down Mathews. He was killed at the house of William Blythe, rented by Lewis Rogers, just south east of Chetopa.
The next day, local residents were tried by James G. Blunt, in an impromptu court martial. Mathews ranch and trading post at Little Town was subsequently burned. The ranch had consisted of a two story, double log cabin (covered with burr siding, and sporting plastered walls), a blacksmith shop, a stable, slaves quarters, a well house, a smoke house, a woodshed, other out buildings, as well as two race tracks. He had title to 100 acre (0.404686 km²) on the bluff and 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) below. He had no less than 100 head of cattle and 50 horses. His possessions and the stock of the trading post (including 50 buffalo robes and six bear skins) were distributed among the volunteers who had tracked him down. Little Town and many houses at Chetopa were also burned. The site of Little Town remained unoccupied by whites during the war. Most, but not all, of the Osages fled Kansas during the Civil War. Mathews own children fled to Texas and Kentucky.
In 1865 a number of settlers located at this point and called the town, "Little Town." Two years later the Oswego town company was organized and so named for Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, whence many of the settlers had come. Lots were given away to every person who would erect a building, with the result that the town grew very rapidly. The organization of Oswego as a city of the third class took place in February 1870. The town was made a city of the second class by proclamation of the governor in 1880.
The first frame house was put up by Dr. William S. Newlon in September 1865. The first frame store building was erected by Thomas J. Buntain, though the first store was opened in a log building in 1865 by Rexford & Elsbee. The postoffice was established in 1867 with Nelson Carr postmaster. At that time there were two provision stores, since Oswego was on the military road. M. George had opened a blacksmith shop and D.W. Clover a hotel, which was not only an inn for the public, but the county headquarters, a political rendezvous and a news center. This was the second hotel, the first having been built in 1866 by William A. Hogaboom. In 1868 Mr. Shanks operated the first pottery and made several kilns of stoneware; a cotton-gin was set up the same year. The first bank was opened in 1868 by W. M. Johnson, who was forced two years later to make an assignment of all that he had to satisfy his creditors. The second bank was started in July 1870, by B. F. Hibart and H. L. Taylor, which was a success. The State Bank of Oswego started business a few weeks later, but discontinued after a short time, as there was not business enough for two banks. In September 1870, a steam sawmill was erected by Macon, Krell & Cowell.
The first newspaper was the Oswego Register, established in 1868 by E.R. Trask. The first church was the Congregational, which was organized in May 1868, and the Presbyterian church was founded in July of the same year. The first school was taught in 1867. The public library association was organized in 1877 and continues in the form of Oswego Public Libraryhttp://oswegolibrary.org, a Carnegie Library
Carnegie Library
Carnegie Library, Carnegie Public Library, Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie Free Public Library, Andrew Carnegie Library, Andrew Carnegie Free Library or Carnegie Library Building may refer to any of the following Carnegie libraries:- California :*Carnegie Library , listed on the National Register...
, today. The telephone system was put in operation in 1882; the waterworks in 1887; and the first electric lights were turned on July 12, 1888, but were turned off a few months later.
Geography
Oswego is located at 37°10′4"N 95°6′34"W (37.167728, -95.109453). The city is about 12 miles (19.3 km) north of the OklahomaOklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
state line and 30 miles (48.3 km) west of the Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
line. It is situated along the southern bluffs overlooking the Neosho River
Neosho River
The Neosho River is a tributary of the Arkansas River in eastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma in the United States. Its tributaries also drain portions of Missouri and Arkansas. The river is about long. Via the Arkansas, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed.- Course :The Neosho's...
valley. It is at the junction of U.S. Route 59
U.S. Route 59
U.S. Route 59 is a north–south United States highway . A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, U.S. 59 is now a border-to-border route, Part of NAFTA Corridor Highway System. It parallels U.S. Route 75 for nearly its entire route, never much more than away, until it veers southwest...
and U.S. Route 160
U.S. Route 160
U.S. Route 160 is a 1,465 mile long east–west United States highway in the Midwestern United States. The western terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 89 five miles west of Tuba City, Arizona. The eastern terminus is at U.S...
. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, there were 2,046 people, 776 households, and 489 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 956.9 people per square mile (369.1/km²). There were 890 housing units at an average density of 416.2 per square mile (160.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.30% White, 3.32% Black or African American, 1.42% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.88% from other races, and 2.88% from two or more races
Multiracial
The terms multiracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestries come from multiple races. Unlike the term biracial, which often is only used to refer to having parents or grandparents of two different races, the term multiracial may encompass biracial people but can also include people with...
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.81% of the population.
There were 776 household
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
s out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 105.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.
The median income for a household
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
in the city was $30,656, and the median income for a family was $38,631. Males had a median income of $26,289 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $12,974. About 8.5% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.9% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.
Local School Systems
The Oswego-Service Valley Unified School District Number 504 (USD 504), with four schools, serves more than 500 students.- Neosho Heights Elementary School, grades PK–5
- Service Valley Charter Academy, an agricultural magnet school, grades K–8
- Oswego Middle School, grades 6–8
- Oswego High School, grades 9–12
The Southeast Kansas Interlocal District Number 637, in conjunction with USD 504, offers an At-Risk Preschool (ages 3–5).
College
ParsonsParsons, Kansas
Parsons is a city in the northern part of Labette County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,500...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
-based Labette Community College
Labette Community College
Labette Community College is a two year accredited college located in Labette County within southeast Kansas. LCC is situated within Labette County’s most populous city Parsons, Kansas, and was first established in the fall of 1923 as Parsons Junior College. The mascot of the school is Chris the...
holds classes on the Oswego High School site.
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg State University, also called Pitt State or PSU, is a public university with approximately 7,100 students located in Pittsburg, Kansas, United States. A large percentage of the student population consists of residents within the Pittsburg region; the gender proportion is relatively equal...
, an NCAA Division II school in the Kansas Board of Regents
Kansas Board of Regents
The Kansas Board of Regents is a body consisting of nine members which governs six state universities in the U.S. state of Kansas. In addition to these six universities, it also supervises and coordinates nineteen community colleges, five technical colleges, six technical schools and a municipal...
system, is located approximately thirty miles away in nearby Pittsburg
Pittsburg, Kansas
Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, in southeastern Kansas, United States. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and in southeastern Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,233.-History:...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
.
Museums
Oswego is also served by two museums.The Oswego Historical Museum and Genealogy Department, owned by the Oswego Historical Society, Inc., offers guided museum tours featuring period-style theme rooms, genealogical research, and tours of an original log cabin, a partially reconstructed building original to the Oswego townsite.
The newer of the two museums, the Southeast Kansas Education Museum offers exhibits "to collect, preserve and make available history & artifacts of Southeast Kansas and other countries of the world." They cover subjects such as Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Native American culture, Wildlife, the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
, Nautilus, and international life.
Libraries
Each of the USD 504 building sites includes a library for student access. These school libraries provided extended services such as inter-library loan through Southeast Kansas Library System and access to Internet2Internet2
Internet2 is an advanced not-for-profit US networking consortium led by members from the research and education communities, industry, and government....
and online databases through Kan-ed, a service sponsored by the State of Kansas.
The community of Oswego is served by the Oswego Public Library (OPL), a Carnegie Library
Carnegie Library
Carnegie Library, Carnegie Public Library, Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie Free Public Library, Andrew Carnegie Library, Andrew Carnegie Free Library or Carnegie Library Building may refer to any of the following Carnegie libraries:- California :*Carnegie Library , listed on the National Register...
. OPL offers a vast collection of books, DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s, periodicals, audio books, and videos. Internet access is also available through the use of patron-access computers or the Library's free Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
access.
Medical
Oswego is served by Oswego Community HospitalOswego Community Hospital
Oswego Community Hospital is a federally and state-designtated 12 bed Critical Access Hospital located in Oswego, Kansas.-History:In 2007 Oswego Medical Center was purchased by HMC/CAH Consolidated, Inc. and the name changed to Oswego Community Hospital. The facility had in recent years been...
(OCH), a twelve bed Critical Access hospital administered by HMC/CAH, Inc. and supported by Via Christi Hospital (Pittsburg) of Pittsburg
Pittsburg, Kansas
Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, in southeastern Kansas, United States. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and in southeastern Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,233.-History:...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and Labette Health
Labette Health
-External links:*...
of Parsons
Parsons, Kansas
Parsons is a city in the northern part of Labette County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,500...
. OCH has a contractual agreement with Eagle-Med to provide Air Ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
services to any local or regional hospital.
Labette Health
Labette Health
-External links:*...
of Parsons
Parsons, Kansas
Parsons is a city in the northern part of Labette County, located in Southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,500...
, in conjunction with the Labette County Health Department, provides emergency ambulatory services to the hospital best-qualified to treat each patient.
Labette Health and Via Christi Hospital of Pittsburg
Pittsburg, Kansas
Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, in southeastern Kansas, United States. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and in southeastern Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,233.-History:...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
provide the closest Level III Trauma Centers, the only two emergency rooms to achieve Level III rating in the State of Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
.
Two Level II Trauma Centers, St. John's Regional Medical Center
St. John's Regional Medical Center (Missouri)
St. John's Regional Medical Center is a hospital in Joplin, Missouri, USA.-History:The hospital was founded on October 24, 1896, by the Sisters of Mercy. The facility was expanded in 1968 to include two connecting buildings of seven and nine floors....
and Freeman Health System, are located approximately thirty-five miles away in the regional hub of Joplin
Joplin, Missouri
Joplin is a city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County in the southwestern corner of the US state of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County, though it is not the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 50,150...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, while the closest Level I Trauma Centers are in Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
.
Recreation
Oswego is home to five city-maintained parks.- Riverside Park
- Schmoker Park
- John Mathews Park (Little Town Well)
- Hobart Young Park
- Thomas Park (Log Cabin)
Riverside Park
Riverside Park is Oswego's flagship park property. Located on 80 acres (323,748.8 m²) near the north boundary of the city, Riverside Park overlooks the 100 feet (30.5 m) bluff that defines Oswego. It is home to the Labette CountyLabette County, Kansas
Labette County is a county located in southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 21,607. Its county seat is Oswego, and its most populous city is Parsons...
Fairgrounds, the 10000 square feet (929 m²) Oswego Community Center, the historic Oswego City Pool, shelter houses, walking trails, RV campgrounds, and playground equipment. Riverside Park also includes tennis courts, horseshoe pits, and two baseball/softball fields, as well as ample parking.
Many of the stone structures were built in the 1930s as WPA
WPA
- Agencies and organizations :*World Pool-Billiard Association*World Psychiatric Association- United States :*Washington Project for the Arts*Women's Prison Association...
projects.
Oswego City Pool
Built in 1935 to service the entire Southeast Kansas region, Oswego City Pool continues to serve the citizens of Oswego using its historic facilities. In the late 2000s, the National Park ServiceNational Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
provided a grant to the City of Oswego to replace the concrete deck surrounding the pool, as well as the protective chain link fence. Work was also done to replace the aging diving board stands and water slide.
Oswego Community Center
Built in 2006 as part of Community Development Grant funded through the Kansas Department of CommerceKansas Department of Commerce
The Kansas Department of Commerce is a department of the government of Kansas under the Governor of Kansas. As the state's lead economic development agency, it is responsible for business recruitment and expansion, workforce development and tourism development...
, the 1000 square feet (92.9 m²) facility plays host to a number of community events, including weddings, county fair exhibits, and community luncheons.
Labette County Fairgrounds
Encompassing the southern portion of Riverside Park, the Labette County Fairgrounds are host to many barns, exhibit halls, and Memorial Stadium. The Stadium was once used by the Oswego High School football program, and now used for the Fair's demolition derby.Oswego Golf Course
Located just north of Oswego on U.S. Highway 59, Oswego Golf Course provides a nine hole green. It was featured on television in 2006 by Jim Huber of PGA on Tour visited the course.Media
Labette Avenue is a weekly paper owned by Taylor Newspapers that covers mostly local stories and events. The newspaper is a continuation of the historic Oswego Independent and other local weekly newspapers. Labette Avenue is based in Oswego and serves the rural areas of Labette CountyLabette County, Kansas
Labette County is a county located in southeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 21,607. Its county seat is Oswego, and its most populous city is Parsons...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
.
The daily Parsons Sun, of nearby Parsons, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, also covers Oswego. The nearest major newspaper is the Joplin Globe.
Oswego is located in the Joplin
Joplin, Missouri
Joplin is a city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County in the southwestern corner of the US state of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County, though it is not the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 50,150...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
/Pittsburg
Pittsburg, Kansas
Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, in southeastern Kansas, United States. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and in southeastern Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,233.-History:...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
broadcast market area and receives the majority of its television and radio signals from those two cities.
Transportation
Along with two U.S. Federal Highways (U.S. 160 and U.S. 59), Oswego Municipal AirportOswego Municipal Airport
Oswego Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located three miles east of the central business district of Oswego, a city in Labette County, Kansas, United States.- Facilities and aircraft :...
serves the general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
needs Oswego and the surrounding area.
Joplin Regional Airport
Joplin Regional Airport
Joplin Regional Airport is a public airport located four miles north of the central business district of Joplin, a city in Jasper County, Missouri, USA. The airport covers and has three runways. It offers commercial airline service subsidized by the Essential Air Service program...
, located approximately 33 miles (53.1 km) east of Oswego in Joplin
Joplin, Missouri
Joplin is a city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County in the southwestern corner of the US state of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County, though it is not the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 50,150...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
provides the nearest commercial service, with direct flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and connections to any airport commercially served by American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. Tulsa International Airport
Tulsa International Airport
Tulsa International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located five miles northeast of downtown Tulsa, a city in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, United States. It was originally named Tulsa Municipal Airport, when the city acquired it in 1929...
, located approximately 100 miles (160.9 km) south of Oswego in Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, provides the closest non-stop internationally service to major destinations worldwide.
Further reading
- History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook)
- Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook),(Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook)
External links
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Historical