The Franklin County Historical Society welcomed historian Judi Kirk on March 6, 2022 for a program on the history and design of early gas stations across Kansas.

The talk used photographs and regional examples to show how filling stations evolved from basic curbside pumps into recognizable roadside architecture. It also connected station design to the larger story of automobile travel and road culture in towns like Ottawa.

The program complemented the museum's transportation-related exhibits by focusing on how motorists experienced changing Kansas highways and small-town commercial stops.

For more, see the Old Depot Museum's program page.