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The Shelter House, Monument to Osawatomie’s Founders

Grady Atwater

The Shelter House in John Brown Memorial Park is a monument to Osawatomie’s founders and the Free State guerillas who fought at the Battle of Osawatomie. The Shelter House’s construction was funded by a bequest by an Osawatomie business owner, who died in 1928. In addition, Ada Remington, the granddaughter of Reverend Samuel Adair, and other members of the Remington family donated the rest of the money needed for the construction of the Shelter House.

The Shelter House was dedicated on Aug. 30, 1955. Ada Remington directed the project, and the John Brown Memorial Park Board, Kansas Historical Society, Osawatomie Chamber of Commerce and the American Legion planned an outdoor dedication. However, rain forced the dedication indoors. Raymond G. Reno led the Osawatomie High School Band at the dedication, and the Osawatomie Boy Scouts presented the colors. Doctor W.L. Speer spoke about the history of John Brown Memorial Park, followed by an address by Nyle Miller of the Kansas Historical Society. The American Legion conducted the

dedication ceremony, and Doctor Speer presented the Shelter House to the Kansas Historical Society.

Ada Remington and the Remington family commissioned and presented a stone plaque that was placed in the Shelter House that reads “In Memory of Early Kansas Pioneers, This Shelter House Erected by their Descendents Dedicated August 30, 1955, the 99th Anniversary of The Battle of Osawatomie which was fought on this Site.” Ada Remington worked tirelessly to ensure that the Abolitionists and Free Staters who fought at the Battle of Osawatomie were remembered at the monument. John Brown Memorial Park is not merely a park. It is a battlefield where, on Aug. 30, 1856, John Brown led a force of 30 – 45 Free State Guerillas in a battle against John Reid and 250- 400 proslavery militia men in the largest battle during the guerilla war that gave Kansas the nickname “Bleeding Kansas.”

Osawatomie’s citizens worked together to build the Shelter House in 1955 to honor Osawatomie’s founders and the Free State guerillas who defended Osawatomie. The Shelter House is more than a place to picnic or relax, it is a monument, a place of honor. Osawatomie is unusual because of the number of historic sites and monuments that the town’s citizens and visitors can see and experience. Numerous historians and visitors have relayed this fact to John Brown Museum staff at Osawatomie, and are extremely impressed that the historic sites are still so well preserved. Osawatomie’s historic sites are preserved because of diligent efforts by past Osawatomie citizens.

It is imperative that the present generation continues their efforts so that future generations will be able to learn about Osawatomie’s history and heritage. This history and heritage is of national and international importance, and the present generation owes it to Osawatomie’s founders, who risked their lives to found Osawatomie, and worked to ensure that we would have a community today.

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Posted by admin on Feb 16 2011. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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