Founded by the Pennsylvania Colony

Founded by a colony from Pennsylvania on May 1, 1871, the city of Osborne was declared the permanent county seat of Osborne County one year later.  It was named for a Civil War veteran, Captain Vincent B. Osborne, and is situated in the fertile South Fork Solomon River Valley.  The City of Osborne was incorporated in 1879.   

Located in the North Central region of Kansas, Osborne sits eighteen miles northwest of the Geodetic Center of North America and thirty-two miles southwest of the Geographic Center of the 48 States.  Early settlers found fertile soil, good growing seasons for grain production and protein-rich native grasses for grazing their livestock.    

Situated at the crossroads of the Midland Trail (now HWY 24) built in 1918 and Highway 8 (now HWY 281 and part of the Pan-American Highway that runs from Mexico to Canada) that was opened in 1924, Osborne was established early on as a trading center for the agricultural commodities produced in the area. 

Development of Osborne’s current Downtown Business District began in 1878 with construction continuing through 1935.  Rows of buildings lined the prosperous main street.  A typical building was two stories tall, although Osborne’s skyline includes one three story stone and tin structure built circa 1883 by Frank Hatch.  Several buildings had basements that gave the merchants and customers three levels for business.  In the basements barbershops and service businesses thrived; on the ground floors you would find general merchandise stores; and on the upper levels the professional businesses, such as doctors and dentists, saw their patients.   

The appearance of individual buildings, storefronts, signs and window displays has always provided and will continue to determine the visual character of our downtown.