Timeline of Topeka, Kansas facts for kids

Topeka is an important city in Kansas, USA. It has a rich history filled with many interesting events, from its early days as a free-state settlement to becoming the state capital and growing into a modern city. This timeline will take you through some of the most important moments in Topeka's past.

Topeka's Early Years: The 1800s

Topeka began in 1854 when a group called the Topeka Association was formed. This was a time when Kansas was deciding if it would allow slavery or not.

Key Events in the 1850s

• 1854 - The Topeka Association was created.
• 1855
  • Constitution Hall was built. This building was very important because it hosted the Topeka Constitutional Convention.

Constitution Hall in 2012. This historic building played a big role in Kansas's fight against slavery.

• • The Topeka Constitutional Convention took place. Here, people wrote a constitution that would have made Kansas a free state, meaning no slavery.

Topeka in 1856, with Constitution Hall on the left.

• 1856 - A government that supported Kansas being a free state was set up in Topeka.
• 1857
  • Topeka officially became a city.
  • The State Library of Kansas was started.
• 1859
  • A newspaper called Kansas State Record began publishing.
  • The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway company was formed and set up offices in Topeka. This railroad would become very important for the city's growth.
  • The Wyandotte Constitution made Topeka the temporary capital of Kansas.
  • The Topeka Cemetery was established.
• 1860
  • Grace Church, an Episcopal church, was officially recognized.
  • The area faced a drought, a time with very little rain.
  • Topeka's population was 759 people.

Growth and Challenges: The 1860s

• 1861
  • The Wyandotte Constitution officially named Topeka as the permanent state capital.
  • The Kansas legislature, the state's law-making body, met for the first time.
  • The Episcopal Female Seminary of Topeka, a school for girls, was started.
• 1863 - The Kansas Farmer magazine began publishing.
• 1864
  • Topeka was threatened during Price's Raid, a military attack during the American Civil War.
  • Fort Simple was built quickly to help defend the city from Confederate soldiers.
• 1865
  • Lincoln College was founded. It later became Washburn University.
  • Harrison School was built.
  • The Union Pacific railway started operating in a nearby area.
• 1867 - Fort Simple was taken down.
• 1868 - Construction began on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad tracks.

Building a City: The 1870s and 1880s

• 1870
  • The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library was established.
  • Topeka's population grew to 5,790 people.
• 1871 - Topeka High School was established.
• 1872 - The Topeka State Hospital opened.
• 1873 - The Kansas Academy of Science was officially recognized.
• 1875 - The Kansas Historical Society was founded to preserve the state's history.
• 1878 - The Topeka Harvey House, a famous restaurant, opened.
• 1879 - The Daily Capital newspaper began publishing.
• 1880 - The population reached 15,452.
• 1881 - Topeka was officially recognized as a city with its own charter.
• 1883 - A new building for the Public Library was constructed.
• 1886 - The population grew to 25,005.
• 1887
  • The Governor's Mansion, where the state governor lives, was built.
  • The Topeka Golden Giants baseball team was formed.
• 1890 - The population was 31,007.
• 1894 - Christ's Hospital was established.
• 1895 - The Topeka Industrial and Educational Institute and Stormont Hospital and Training School were established.
• 1897 - The Topeka Tent and Awning Company was established.
• 1899 - Gage Park, a large public park, was established.

Class of 1900 in front of Rice Hall at Washburn University. Washburn is a public university in Topeka.

Topeka in the 20th Century

The 1900s brought more growth and changes to Topeka, including new schools, hospitals, and important legal decisions.

Early 1900s Developments

• 1900
  • Bethel Bible College was founded.
  • Topeka's population was 33,608.
• 1902 - The Smith Automobile Company was founded.
• 1903 - The Kansas State Capitol building, a grand building for the state government, was completed.
• 1905 - The Topeka Industrial Institute was later rebuilt as a women's prison.
• 1906 - Bethesda Hospital was established.
• 1909 - St. Francis Hospital was established.
• 1910 - The population reached 43,684.
• 1911 - Hayden High School was established.
• 1914 - The G.A.R. Memorial Hall was built.
• 1917 - Grace Episcopal Cathedral was built.

Mid-20th Century Milestones

• 1920 - The Menninger Clinic, a famous mental health center, opened.
• 1926 - The Jayhawk Theatre opened.
• 1928 - The College of the Sisters of Bethany closed.
• 1933 - The Topeka Zoo opened.

The entrance gate at the Topeka Zoo, which was originally called The Gage Park Zoo.

• 1936 - Sumner Elementary School was built.
• 1941 - Topeka Army Air Field was established.
• 1948 - The Topeka station was established.
• 1950
  • The population was 78,791.
  • A new railroad station was built.
• 1952 - Topeka Lutheran School opened.
• 1954 - The landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court case was decided. This case, which started in Topeka, ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
• 1955 - Westboro Baptist Church opened.
• 1962 - Cedar Crest (mansion) became the official residence for the state governor.
• 1965 - The Topeka Genealogical Society was founded.
• 1966 - A powerful tornado hit Topeka, causing significant damage.
• 1976 - Forbes Field (airport) began operating as an airport.

Late 20th Century Developments

• 1980 - Cair Paravel-Latin School was founded.
• 1984 - The Kansas Museum of History opened.
• 1987 - The Sunflower State Expo arena opened.
• 1988 - West Ridge Mall opened.
• 1989 - Heartland Park Topeka, a motorsports racing facility, opened.
• 1991 - The Topeka Performing Arts Center opened.
• 1997 - The city's official website went online around this time.
• 1998 - The Topeka ScareCrows ice hockey team was founded.

Topeka in the 21st Century

Topeka continued to grow and develop in the new millennium, with new teams, parks, and historical sites.

2000s

• 2003 - The Kansas Koyotes football team was formed.
• 2004
  • The Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site opened, honoring the important civil rights case.
  • The Topeka RoadRunners ice hockey team was founded.
• 2005
  • Bill Bunten became mayor of Topeka.
  • The Topeka Golden Giants baseball team was formed again.
• 2006 - A new railroad station was built.
• 2008 - The North Topeka Arts District was created.
• 2009 - The Topeka Mudcats women's football team was founded.

2010s

• 2010
  • Kaw River State Park opened, offering outdoor recreation.
  • Topeka's population reached 127,473 people.