North Topeka, Kansas facts for kids

North Topeka, Kansas is a special part of Topeka, Kansas. Even though it's not officially its own city, many people who live there think of it that way. It also has a lower crime rate compared to other areas of Topeka. Unlike most of Topeka, North Topeka is mainly served by the Seaman USD 345 School District. The interesting thing is that the City of Topeka was actually first started in North Topeka!

North Topeka's History

In 1865, two men named William Curtis and Louis Laurent planned a town they called Eugene. William Curtis was the grandfather of Charles Curtis, who was born in North Topeka and later became Vice President of the United States!

Less than a year later, on New Year's Day, the very first train arrived in what is now North Topeka. This was a Union Pacific train. The arrival of the railroad was a big deal. It made North Topeka the main industrial area of Kansas's capital city for much of the 1800s. The only exception was the huge AT&SF train shops across the river.

In April 1867, the area south of the river officially joined with Eugene. This was the first time Topeka expanded its city limits. Back then, North and South Topeka were pretty equal in size and economy. They often competed for new industries and commerce throughout the rest of the 1800s. In 1903, North Topeka faced a terrible flood. However, many beautiful buildings from that time are still standing. When they are fixed up, they will show off amazing Victorian-era homes and businesses.

Cool Places to See in North Topeka

• The Great Overland Station (http://www.greatoverlandstation.com/) (built in 1927) is a grand train station. It was designed by a firm from Los Angeles. The inside of the building is spectacular, just like many big stations from the early 1900s. Many important people passed through this station over the years. For example, in June 1945, General Eisenhower stopped here on his way to Abilene. This station was one of the most photographed mid-sized stations for the Union Pacific Railroad. It has now been fully restored to its original beauty.

• Curtis Family Cemetery: This is a small family burial ground. Local volunteers take care of it because there are no direct family members left. The grandparents, parents, and other relatives of Vice President Charles Curtis are buried here. He was born in a log cabin nearby. In 2022, a news report shared that the cemetery had been repeatedly vandalized. Volunteers then organized online to help protect and care for the site even more.

• St. Mark's AME Church: This church was built in 1880. It was created because of the "Exodusters," who were Black refugees moving from former slave states. Some of the land for this church was given by Charles Curtis when he was only 19 years old. This land was originally given to his grandmother as part of a treaty from 1825. This treaty was between the Kanza tribe and the United States government. Charles Curtis's great-great-grandfather, White Plume, and the famous explorer William Clark helped negotiate this treaty.

Learning in North Topeka

• North Topeka Schools: The Topeka Public Schools system serves over 13,000 students. It employs more than 1,300 teachers and 1,100 support staff. The students come from different backgrounds. About 42% are white, 27% are Hispanic, and 27% are Black.