The Franklin County Historical Society hosted a virtual program on April 13, 2021 about Kansas trails past and present, connecting historic migration routes with modern recreational trail systems.

The talk covered the Santa Fe, Oregon, and Chisholm trail traditions while also pointing to current trail networks such as the Prairie Spirit Trail and Flint Hills trail system. That made the topic especially relevant for Ottawa, where modern trail access remains part of local identity.

The program framed trails not only as recreation assets, but also as long-running corridors of trade, migration, and settlement across Kansas.

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