Everything about Topeka Kansas totally explained
Topeka is the
capital city of the
U.S. state of
Kansas and the
county seat and most populous city of
Shawnee County. It is situated along the
Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the
Central United States. The population was 122,377 at the
2000 census, and it was estimated to be }} in the year .)
Topeka, laid out in 1854, was one of the
Free-State towns founded by
Eastern antislavery men immediately after the passage of the
Kansas-Nebraska Bill. In 1857, Topeka was chartered as a city.
History
19th century
In the 1840s,
wagon trains made their way west from Independence, Missouri, on a journey following what would come to be known as the
Oregon Trail. About west of Kansas City, Missouri, three half Kansas Indian sisters married to the French-Canadian Pappan brothers established a ferry service allowing travelers to cross the
Kansas River at what is now Topeka. During the 1840s and into the 1850s, travelers could reliably find a way across the river (and plenty of moonshine) but little else was in the area.
In the early 1850s, traffic along the Oregon Trail was supplemented by trade on a new military road stretching from Fort Leavenworth through "Topeka" to the newly-established Fort Riley. In 1854, after completion of the first cabin, nine men established the "Topeka Town Association." Included among them was
Cyrus K. Holliday, an "idea man" who would become mayor of Topeka and founder of the
Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad. Soon, steamboats were regularly docking at the Topeka landing, depositing meat, lumber, and flour and returning eastward with potatoes, corn, and wheat. By the late 1860s, Topeka had become a commercial hub providing access to many of the Victorian era's comforts.
After a decade of
Bleeding Kansas abolitionist and pro-slavery conflict, the Kansas territory was admitted to the Union in 1861 as the 34th state. Topeka was finally chosen as the capital, with Dr. Charles Robinson as the first governor. Cyrus K. Holliday donated a tract of land to the state for the construction of a state capitol.
Although the drought of 1860 and the ensuing period of the
Civil War slowed the growth of Topeka and the state, Topeka kept pace with the revival and period of growth that Kansas enjoyed from the close of the war in 1865 until 1870. In 1869, the railway started moving westward from Topeka. General offices and machine shops of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad system were established in Topeka in 1878.
During the late 1880s, Topeka passed through a boom period that ended in disaster. There was vast
speculation on town lots. The 1889 bubble burst and many investors were ruined. Topeka, however, doubled in population during the period and was able to weather the depressions of the 1890s.
Early in the 20th Century, another kind of boom, this time the
automobile industry, took off, and numerous pioneering companies appeared and disappeared. Topeka wasn't left out. The
Smith Automobile Company was founded there in 1902, lasting until 1912.
20th century
Home to the first African-American kindergarten west of the Mississippi River, Topeka became the home of Linda Brown, the named plaintiff in
Brown v. Board of Education which was the case responsible for eliminating the standard of "separate but equal", and requiring
racial integration in American public schools.
It is interesting to note that, at the time the suit was filed, only the elementary schools were segregated in Topeka, and that
Topeka High School had been fully integrated since its inception in the late 1890s. It is also interesting to note that Topeka High School was the
only public high school in Topeka. Highland Park High School became part of the Topeka school system in 1959 along with the opening of Topeka West High School in 1961. A Catholic high school—Assumption High School, later renamed Capitol Catholic High School, then Hayden High School after its founder, Father Francis Hayden in 1939—also served the city beginning in 1911.
Monroe Elementary, a segregated school that figured in the historic
Brown v. Board of Education decision, is now a
National historic site with interpretive exhibits. The national historic site was opened by President
George W. Bush on
May 17,
2004.
Topeka has struggled with the burden of racial discrimination even after Brown. New lawsuits attempted unsuccessfully to force suburban school districts that ring the city to participate in racial integration with the inner city district. In the late 1980s a group of citizens calling themselves the
Task Force to Overcome Racism in Topeka formed to address the problem in a more organized way.
On June 8, 1966, Topeka
was struck by an F5 rated tornado, according to the
Fujita scale. It started on the southwest side of town, moving northeast, passing over a local landmark named Burnett's Mound. According to a local Indian legend, this mound was thought to protect the city from tornadoes. It went on to rip through the city, hitting the downtown area and Washburn University. Total dollar cost was put at $100 million making it, at the time, one of the costliest tornadoes in American history. Even to this day, with inflation factored in, the Topeka tornado stands as one of the costliest on record. It also helped bring to prominence future CBS and A&E broadcaster
Bill Kurtis, who became well known for his televised admonition to "take cover, for God's sake, take cover" on
WIBW-TV during the tornado. (The city is, by the way, home of a
National Weather Service Forecast Office that serves 23 counties in north-central, northeast, and east-central Kansas).
Geography
Topeka is located at . Topeka is in north east Kansas at the intersection of
I-70 and
U.S. Highway 75. It is the origin of
I-335 which is a portion of the
Kansas Turnpike running from Topeka to
Emporia, Kansas. Topeka is also located on
U.S. Highway 24 and
U.S. Highway 40. 40 is coincident with I-70 west from Topeka.
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 57.0 square miles (147.6 km²), of which 56.0 square miles (145.1 km²) is land and 1.0 square miles (2.5 km²), or 1.70%, is water.
Climate
Topeka has a
humid continental climate (
Koppen climate classification Dfa), with hot, somewhat humid summers and cool to cold, fairly dry winters. Over the course of a year, temperatures range from an average low of about 17 °F in January to an average high of nearly 90 °F in July. The maximum temperature reaches 90 °F an average of 45 days per year and reaches 100 °F an average of 4 days per year. The minimum temperature falls below the freezing point (32 °F) an average of 117 days per year. Typically the first fall freeze occurs between the last week of September and the end of October, and the last spring freeze occurs between the first week of April and early May.
The area receives nearly 36 inches of precipitation during an average year with the largest share being received in May and June—the April–June period averages 32 days of measurable precipitation. Generally, the spring and summer months have the most rainfall, with autumn and winter being fairly dry. During a typical year the total amount of precipitation may be anywhere from 25 to 47 inches. Much of the rainfall is delivered by
thunderstorms. These can be severe, producing frequent
lightning, large
hail, and sometimes
tornadoes. There are on average 100 days of measurable precipitation per year. Winter snowfall is light, as is the case in most of the state, not due to lack of sufficient cold temperatures, but due to the dry, sunny weather patterns that dominate Kansas winters, that don't allow for sufficient moisture for significant snowfall. Winter snowfall averages almost 20 inches, but the median is less than 11 inches. Measurable snowfall occurs an average of 15 days per year with at least an inch of snow being received on seven of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 26 days per year.
Source: Monthly Station Climate Summaries, 1971-2000, U.S. National Climatic Data Center
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Notes: Temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit and in parenthesis, Celcius. Precipitation includes rain and melted snow or sleet in inches and in parenthesis, centimeters; median values are provided for precipitation and snowfall because mean averages may be misleading. Mean and median values are for the 30-year period 1971–2000; temperature extremes are for the station's period of record (1948–2001). The station is located at Topeka Billard Municipal Airport at 39°4′N 95°38′W, elevation .
Demographics
Topeka's population was estimated to be }} in the year, .
As of the
U.S. Census in 2000, there were 122,377 people, 52,190 households, and 30,687 families residing in the city. The
population density was 2,185.0 people per square mile (843.6/km²). There were 56,435 housing units at an average density of 1,007.6/sq mi (389.0/km²). The
racial makeup of the city was 78.52%
White, 11.71%
Black or
African American, 1.31%
Native American, 1.09%
Asian, 0.04%
Pacific Islander, 4.06% from other races, and 3.26% from
two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 10.86% of the population.
There were 52,190
households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were
married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population is spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.
The
median income for a household in the city was $35,928, and the median income for a family was $45,803. Males had a median income of $32,373 versus $25,633 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $19,555. About 8.5% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Being the state's
capital city, Topeka's largest employer is the State of Kansas—employing about 8,400 people, or 69% of the city's government workers. Altogether, government workers make up one out of every five employed persons in the city.
The educational, health and social services industry makes up the largest proportion of the working population (22.4%). The four school districts employ nearly 4,700 people, and
Washburn University employs about 1,650.
Three of the largest employers are Stormont-Vail HealthCare (with about 3,100 employees), St. Francis Health Center (1,800), and Colmery-O'Neil VA Hospital (900).
The retail trade employs more than a tenth of the working population (11.5%) with
Wal-Mart and
Dillons having the greater share. Nearly another tenth is employed in manufacturing (9.0%). Top manufacturers include
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company,
Payless ShoeSource (headquartered in Topeka),
Jostens Printing and Publishing,
Hill's Pet Nutrition (also headquartered in the city), and
Frito-Lay. Southwest Publishing & Mailing Corporation, a smaller employer, has its headquarters in Topeka.
Other industries are finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing (7.8%); professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services (7.6%); arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services (7.2%); construction (6.0%); transportation and warehousing, and utilities (5.8%); and wholesale trade (3.2%).
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is the largest insurance employer, with about 1,800 employees.
BCBS of Kansas, Security Benefit Group of Companies,
CoreFirst Bank & Trust, and Capitol Federal Savings Bank are headquartered in Topeka.
BNSF Railway is the largest transportation employer, with about 1,100.
employs nearly 800
and is headquartered in the city.
About a tenth of the working population is employed in public administration (9.9%). Other corporations headquartered in Topeka include the
Sports Car Club of America.
Met-Con products also has its headquarters in Topeka.
Arts and culture
Religion
Topeka is sometimes cited as the home of
Pentecostalism as it was the site of
Charles Fox Parham's Bethel Bible College, where
glossolalia was first claimed as the evidence of a spiritual experience referred to as the
baptism of the Holy Spirit in 1901. It is also the home of Reverend
Charles Sheldon, author of
In His Steps, and was the site where the famous question "
What would Jesus do?" originated in a sermon of Sheldon's at Central Congregational Church. The First Presbyterian Church in Topeka is one of the very few churches in the U.S. to have its sanctuary completely decorated with
Tiffany stained glass (another is St. Lukes United Methodist in
Dubuque, Iowa). Topeka is also headquarters for the controversial
Westboro Baptist Church led by the preacher
Fred Phelps.
Points of interest
Media
Topeka is the home of a daily newspaper, the Topeka Capital Journal, and a bi-weekly newspaper, The Topeka Metro News.
There are affiliates of the major television networks including NBC 27 (
KSNT), ABC 49 (
KTKA), PBS 11 ((
KTWU-TV)) and CBS 13 (
WIBW-TV), which is the station where
Bill Kurtis started his television career.
There are also many local radio stations and AM talk shows, including the Jim Cates Show and The Wake Up Call on
AM 1440 and On The Other Hand on
AM 580. All 3 shows are available on their websites live via streaming audio. (See below)
Government
The chief executives of Topeka are
Mayor Bill Bunten (
R) and
City Manager Norton Bonaparte Jr.Education
Topeka is served by four
public school districts including
Topeka USD 501, Auburn-Washburn USD 437, Shawnee Heights USD 450, and Seaman USD 345. Topeka is also home to several private and parochial schools including Topeka Collegiate,
Cair Paravel-Latin School, and Hayden High school. There are also elementary and junior high schools supported by other Christian denominations.
Topeka has several colleges, universities and technical schools including
Washburn University and the
Baker University School of Nursing.
Transportation
I-70,
I-470, and
I-335 all go through the City of Topeka. I-335 is part of the
Kansas Turnpike where it passes through Topeka. Other major highways include:
US-24,
US-40,
US-75, and
K-4. Major roads within the city include NW/SW Topeka Blvd. SW Wanamaker Road. N/S Kansas Ave. SW/SE 29th St. SE/SW 21st St. SE California Ave. SW Gage Blvd. and SW Fairlawn Rd.
Philip Billard Municipal Airport (TOP) is located in the Oakland neighborhood of Topeka and
Forbes Field (FOE)is located south of Topeka in
Pauline, Kansas. Passenger air service isn't currently available. Service may be added in the near future. Forbes Field also serves as an
Air National Guard base, home of the highly decorated 190th Air Refueling Wing. Kansas City International Airport is the closest commercial airport.
Passenger rail service provided by
Amtrak stops at the
Topeka Station. Freight service is provided by the
Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad and
Union Pacific Railroad.
Bus service is provided by
Greyhound
In City bus service provided by
Topeka Transit
Notable natives and residents
Pat Roberts, U.S. Senator from Kansas
Annette Bening, actress
Gregg Binkley, actor
Gwendolyn Brooks, poet
Fred Comer, racecar driver
Charles Curtis, U.S. Vice President (1929–33)
Art Crews, wrestler
Aaron Douglas, Harlem Renaissance artist
Ronald Evans, astronaut
Max Falkenstein, radio broadcaster
Ann Gottesman, author
Josh Kulick, former Heavy Metal Drummer for Through The Eyes Of The Dead
Coleman Hawkins, jazz saxophonist
Wes Jackson, environmentalist, The Land Institute
Kansas, rock band
Bill Kurtis, television anchor
Ben Lerner, poet
Katrina Leskanich, singer (Katrina and the Waves)
Andy McKee, musician
Karl Menninger, psychiatrist
William C. Menninger, psychiatrist
Origin, metal band
John Parrella, football player
Eric Rosen, Kansas Supreme Court Justice
Thomas Ryan, U.S. Representative and Ambassador to Mexico
Dean Smith, former University of North Carolina basketball coach
Mark Turgeon, head basketball coach at Texas A&M University
Karl Targownik, psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor
Trey Lewis NFL Defensive Tackle 2007-Present.
Topeka in popular culture
Bloo, a character from the children's cartoon series Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends watches a TV news report about Topeka, Kansas and states that "It's hot in Toe-Peek-A". This is a pun of Toepicker, a somewhat humorous insult.
Topeka is first mentioned in The Waste Lands and features prominently in Wizard and Glass, two books from Stephen King's Dark Tower series.
In the Sherlock Holmes short story The Adventure of the Three Garridebs, the first Garrideb and ultimately the villain John Garrideb claims he's from Topeka, Kansas.
In the popular post-nuclear game Wasteland (computer game), one of the clans of rail nomads is called the Topeka clan.
In an episode of, True Q, Amanda's parents were killed by a tornado in Topeka, KS.
In Our Worlds at War a comic book crossover published by DC Comics, Topeka is destroyed by the extraterrestrial supervillain Imperiex.
In the video game Command & Conquer (video game) during the introduction of the game a newscast shows a sample of Tiberium and states that this sample was collected near Topeka, Kansas.
In "The Red Badge of Gayness" episode of South Park, originally aired on November 24, 1999, Eric Cartman leads the South Park Confederates to attack Topeka.Further Information
Get more info on 'Topeka Kansas'.
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