A chronicle of the rise and fall of the small town of Ottumwa, Kansas.

The lost town of Ottumwa, Coffey County, Kansas was settled by migrants of the Northern Midland Migration movement who shared similar progressive values and beliefs. The town experienced a brief period of prosperity, in which the town was home to a small college. This study uses early maps of the county, newspapers, personal reminiscences, and visits to the townsite to provide a history of Ottumwa, Kansas.

Nickolas Wheeler

The Chapman Center for Rural Studies

Fall 2012

The Chapman Center for Rural Studies

Kansas State University, Department of History

pdf

Document