Franklin County KS

The Franklin County Convention Visitors Bureau was formed in 1984 in order to better promote Franklin County and Ottawa as a tourist destination and serve visitors to our communities. In 2002, the bureau built the Franklin County Visitor Information Center with funds from a TEA-21 grant and several years of savings. The Visitor Center is located at 2011 E. Logan (Hwy 68), just west of I-35 exit 187 and is open Monday-Friday 9-5pm, Saturday 9-4pm and Sunday 12-4pm. The Franklin County CVB employs one full-time and one part time staff and utilizes over 40 volunteers to staff the visitor center throughout the year. Funding is derived from the transient guest tax, which is a percentage tax imposed on overnight stays in Franklin County. This tax is authorized by the Kansas State Legislature. Currently the transient guest tax in Franklin County is 6%. The Franklin County CVB is overseen by a tourism committee, appointed by the Franklin County Commissioners. The CVB is a non-profit 501 (c)6 organization with a board of directors. The comment most heard at the Franklin County Visitor Information Center is "This is the most beautiful visitor center I've ever seen". We trust that you'll feel the same way. Built in 2002, the center pays tribute to the victorian heritage of Ottawa and the many beautiful homes still standing in Ottawa's neighborhoods. Serving thousands of tourists who visit Ottawa and Franklin County each year, the center also acts as a resting point for weary south/northbound travelers on I-35. Located at exit 187, the Visitor Information Center is open seven days a week. We serve free coffee and occassional treats, in addition to offering travel information for the entire state of Kansas. You can stop in and pick up maps for surrounding states or brochures for communities across Kansas. The Visitor Information Center is also available for rental. We have a boardroom that comfortably seats 25-30 people and can be utilized for everything from public meetings to private family gatherings. In addition, the entire facility can be rented for a reasonable price and has been host to legislative functions, alumni dinners, wedding receptions and more. The Visitor Information Center is located at 2011 E. Logan (Hwy 68), just west of I-35 exit 187 and is open Monday-Friday 9-5pm, Saturday 9-4pm and Sunday 12-4pm.