North Topeka, Kansas is an area of
Topeka, Kansas. Although not officially a
city, it is treated like one by many of its residents, and experiences relatively low
crime rates compared to the rest of Topeka. Unlike most of the City of Topeka, North Topeka is served primarily by the
Seaman USD 345 School District. The City of Topeka was actually incorporated in North Topeka.
Historic North Topeka
William Curtis (grandfather of
Charles Curtis, who was born in North Topeka and went on to become
Vice President of the United States under Hoover) and Louis Laurent laid out a
town in 1865 that they called Eugene (possibly after a place in Indiana). Less than a year later, on New Year's Day, what is now North Topeka welcomed the first
train (
Union Pacific) to town. The advent of the
railroad assured that this area would for much of the 19th century be the industrial heart of the Kansas capital (excluding the mammoth
AT&SF shops across the river).
In April 1867, southside Topeka
annexed Eugene, the first such city expansion. At the time more evenly matched in population and economy, north and south played a tug-of-war for
industry and
commerce during the remainder of the 1800s. In 1903, North Topeka suffered the devastating effects of a major
flood. However, many fine buildings dating from that period remain, and, when restored, will make North Topeka a showplace of
Victorian-era commercial and residential
architecture.
Landmarks of North Topeka include
The Great Overland Station (
http://www.greatoverlandstation.com/) (1927) is a neo-classical station designed by Los Angeles firm
Gilbert S. Underwood; the building has a spectacular interior typical of grand stations of the early 20th century. Over the years, many dignitaries passed through; in June 1945,
Gen. Eisenhower stopped here on his way to
Abilene. North Topeka was one of the most photographed of Union Pacific's mid-sized stations. It has been fully restored.
Curtis Family Cemetery: A small family plot tended to by local volunteers due to there being no remaining direct descendants. Interred here are the grandparents, parents, and other relatives of Vice President Curtis, who was born in a nearby log cabin.[1] In 2022 a news report revealed that the cemetery had been repeatedly vandalized. Volunteers organized online to step up their efforts.[2]
St. Mark's AME Church: Built in 1880 as a result of "Exodusters" (black refugees) coming from slave states.[3] At least some of the land associated with this church was donated by Charles Curtis when he was 19.[4] This was land his grandmother received as part of an
1825 treaty between the
Kanza tribe and the federal government, negotiated by Curtis' great-great grandfather,
White Plume, and explorer
William Clark.
Education in North Topeka
North Topeka Schools:
Topeka Public Schools serve over 13,000 students, employing more than 1,300
teachers and 1,100 support staff. Student
ethnicity breaks down into 3 main categories: 42% white, 27% Hispanic, and 27% Black.