The twenty acre John Brown Memorial Park is a National Historic Site donated to the State of Kansas by the Womens Relief Corps to preserve the site of the Battle of Osawatomie, August 30, 1856, when John Brown and his band of some forty men fought in what was to be one of the first battles of the Civil War. John Brown tried to defend Osawatomie against the Missouri men, but was unsuccessful and thetwon burned. Brown’s son, Fredrick was the first victim; he was shot in cold blood.
The park was dedicated August 30, 1910, by President Theodore Roosevelt at which time he gave his famous New Nationalism speech. A short distance north of the park entrance is a life size statue of John Brown done by Geroge Fite Waters. Also in the park is Adair Cabin/John Brown Museum State Historic Site. The stone pergola houses the original log cabin used by John Brown.
