Topeka: Recreation
Sightseeing
Historic Ward-Meade Park overlooks the Kansas River valley from its position on a bluff. At the center of the park is the ancestral home of the Anthony Ward family, a Victorian mansion built in 1870. Also on the grounds are the Ward frontier log cabin, a country schoolhouse, botanical gardens, and a restored 1900s Kansas village called Old Prairie Town.
Gage Park includes the 160 acre Topeka Zoo, featuring a gorilla encounter habitat, providing for close observation of great apes through a glass partition; a Lion's Pride exhibit; Black Bear Woods; and a Tropical Rain Forest. Also at Gage Park are the Reinisch Rose Garden and Carousel in the Park.
Topeka's copper-domed state Capitol building is well known for its frescoes and woodworking, but it is the Kansas Murals that give the Capitol its artistic focal point; these murals by John Steuart Curry capture dramatic events in the state's history that proved so controversial at the time they were executed that the project was not finished. The Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site opened in 2004 at the former Monroe School, marking the 1954 Supreme Court decision that ended segregation in public schools. Topeka High School displays the mast spar from Old Ironsides on its lawn.
Great Overland Station is a museum and education center commemorating Topeka's railroad heritage. Future redevelopment of the adjacent Kansas Riverfront Park and Historic North Topeka Business District will turn the area into a rich cultural destination for locals and tourists. Potwin Place is an exclusive section of Topeka with Italianate, Victorian, and nineteenth-century farmhouse-style homes. Cedar Crest Governor's Residence, built by Topeka State Journal publisher Frank P. MacLennan in 1928, has been the home of Kansas Governors since 1962. First Presbyterian Church is one of a handful of churches in the nation decorated with Tiffany windows.
Arts and Culture
Musical entertainment in Topeka is provided by the Topeka Symphony Orchestra, the Topeka Community Concert Association, the Topeka Opera Society, the Fine Arts Society, and the Topeka Jazz Workshop. Performances take place at the Kansas Expocentre, the Topeka Performing Arts Center, and elsewhere.
The Topeka Performing Arts Center hosts touring Broadway musicals, dance companies, major symphonies, and other entertainment. The Topeka Civic Theater is one of the nation's oldest and most highly regarded dinner theaters. Other Topeka theater companies include Helen Hocker Theatre in Gage Park and the Washburn University Theatre.
More than 20 art galleries as well as public buildings, businesses, and corporations in Topeka display an array of art. Among the more outstanding pieces are John Steuart Curry's John Brown in the State Capitol and Peter Felton's Amelia Earhart in the rotunda of the State Capitol. The Mulvane Art Museum on the campus of Washburn University exhibits works by Duerer, Goya, Picasso, and Dali in its permanent collection. The Kansas Museum of History chronicles the history of Kansas from the earliest native cultures to the present, using interactive exhibits, programs and videos. The Combat Air Museum at Forbes Field displays airplanes, missiles, military vehicles and aircraft memorabilia dating back to 1917.
Arts and Culture Information: Topeka Performing Arts Center Box Office, telephone (785)297-9000; Kansas Expocentre Box Office, telephone (785)297-1000; Arts Council of Topeka, telephone (785)234-0378
Festivals and Holidays
Kansas Day Celebration in late January commemorates Kansas's admission into the Union. The featured attraction in March is the St. Patrick's Day Parade and Street Fair. Washburn University hosts the Sunflower Music Festival and the Mountain Plains Art Fair in June. The Spirit of Kansas Celebration, Mexican Fiesta, and Shawnee County Fair make for an active July. The Huff 'N' Puff Balloon Rally is a popular September event, as well as Cider Days and the Kansas River Valley Art Festival. Apple Festival,
Sports for the Spectator
The Central Hockey League's Topeka Tarantulas play at the Kansas Expocentre. Washburn University fields teams in intercollegiate competition in a number of sports. The Great Plains Rowing Championship takes place in April on Lake Shawnee. The Kansas State High School Rodeo Championships are held at the Kansas Expocentre Livestock Arena in early June. Drag racing action takes place at Heartland Park in Topeka, while sprint car racing happens at Thunder Hill Speedway.
Sports for the Participant
The Topeka Parks and Recreation Department maintains parks with 7 community centers, 69 public tennis courts, 5 public swimming pools, 26 baseball or softball diamonds and a number of playgrounds, picnic facilities and soccer fields. Nine public golf courses are located in the area. East of Topeka is Lake Shawnee, providing opportunities for swimming, fishing, camping, and sailing. Gage Park, in addition to being the home of the Topeka Zoo, features recreational facilities including swimming, volleyball, and tennis. A number of hiking, jogging and nature trails can be found in Topeka. The Topeka Tinman Triathlon takes place at Lake Shawnee in June. Indoor ice skating is offered at the Kansas Expocentre.
Shopping and Dining
The 1.1 million-square-foot West Ridge Mall is Topeka's main shopping venue. More than 30 other shopping areas range from enclosed malls to neighborhood shopping centers.
Steakhouses serving Kansas beef are the main attraction in Topeka. Other dining choices include French, Mexican, Oriental, and Cajun Creole. Topeka's most popular family restaurants specialize in traditional American fare such as Kansas steaks, Southern fried chicken, country fried steaks, barbecued ribs, and homemade pies and pastries. Fine dining is also available.
Visitor Information: Topeka Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1275 SW Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66612-1852; telephone (785)234-1030; toll-free (800)235-1030; fax (785)234-8282