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68-611: 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. William Curtis (grandfather of Charles Curtis , who

136-476: A female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.1% were not families. About 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29, and the average family size was 2.99. The city's age distribution was 24.4% under age 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24; 26.1% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% were 65 or older. The median age in

204-400: 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 . 39°04′20″N 95°40′01″W  /  39.07222°N 95.66694°W  / 39.07222; -95.66694 Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( / t ə ˈ p iː k ə / tə- PEE -kə ) is

272-614: A population of 233,870 in the 2010 census . The city, 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. The city is well known for the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka , which overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and declared racial segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional. The name "Topeka"

340-504: A verb, to avoid the trademark becoming genericized . 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 on U.S. Highway 24 (about 50 miles [80 km] east of Manhattan, Kansas ) and U.S. Highway 40 (about 30 miles [48 km] west of Lawrence, Kansas ). US 40

408-674: Is 1837, when he was still employed by the U.S. government as an interpreter. (A Joseph James is listed in the 1843 census of the Kaw, but whether this refers to Joe Jim Sr. or Joe Jim Jr. is unclear.) Joe Jim Jr. was born about 1820 and his place of birth was given as "Big Bottom", a place along the Kansas River. (Joe Jim Jr.'s birth date on his tombstone is given as 1814, but that date is inconsistent with other statements concerning his age.) Of Kaw/Osage and French descent, he likely grew up speaking Kaw, Osage, French and later English. Like many on

476-575: Is October 15 through April 17. The area receives about 36.53 inches (928 mm) of precipitation during a typical year, with the largest share being received in May and June—the April through June period averages 32.8 days of measurable precipitation. Generally, the spring and summer have the most rainfall, with autumn and winter being fairly dry. During a typical year, the total amount of precipitation may vary from 25 to 47 inches (640 to 1,190 mm). Much of

544-616: Is a Kansa-Osage word that means "place where we dig potatoes", or "a good place to dig potatoes". As a placename, Topeka was first recorded in 1826 as the Kansa name for what is now called the Kansas River . Topeka's founders chose the name in 1855 because it "was novel, of Indian origin, and euphonious of sound". Mixed-heritage Kansa Native American Joseph James , called Jojim, is credited with suggesting Topeka's name. Along with Cheyenne, Wyoming and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Topeka

612-509: Is coincident with I-70 west from Topeka. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 61.47 sq mi (159.21 km ), of which 1.30 sq mi (3.37 km ) are covered by water. Topeka has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfa ) or a subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa ), with hot, somewhat humid summers and cool to cold, fairly dry winters, and

680-446: Is half French and half Kaw [Joe Jim was one-fourth or less French and three-fourths Kaw and Osage], and bright and intelligent. … He is married to a Potawatomi woman, and lives in a good log house on the bank of the beautiful Kansas River. He has a second house in which the cooking and eating is done. I took dinner with them and it was very good. Joe Jim had married Margaret Curley, a full-blooded Potawatomi . Like many other tribes in

748-714: Is in USDA plant hardiness zone 6a. Over the course of a year, the monthly daily average temperature ranges from 30.2 °F (−1.0 °C) in January to 79.8 °F (26.6 °C) in July. The maximum temperature reaches 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 49.6 afternoons per year and reaches 100 °F (38 °C) an average of 6.0 afternoons per year. The minimum temperature falls below 0 °F (−18 °C) an average of 2.7 mornings per year, and 21.7 afternoons per year stay below freezing. The average window for freezing temperatures

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816-593: Is large, and the city is home to nine Roman Catholic parishes, five of which feature elementary schools. Grace Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas is a large Gothic Revival structure in the city. Topeka also has a claim in the history of the Baháʼí Faith in Kansas. Not only does the city have the oldest continuous Baháʼí community in Kansas (beginning in 1906), but the community also has roots to

884-596: Is now 427-429 S. Kansas Avenue. Besides being used as the Kansas statehouse from 1863 to 1869, Constitution Hall is the site where antislavery settlers convened in 1855 to write the first of four state constitutions, making it the "Free State Capitol". The National Park Service recognizes Constitution Hall in Topeka as headquarters in the operation of the Lane Trail to Freedom on the Underground Railroad ,

952-647: Is one of three state capitals with an indigenous name in a state with an indigenous name. For many millennia , Native Americans inhabited the Great Plains of North America. From the 16th to the mid-18th centuries, the Kingdom of France laid claim to large parts of North America. In 1762, late in the French and Indian War , France secretly ceded Louisiana west of the Mississippi River to Spain in

1020-497: Is under way to continue to redevelop areas along the Kansas River, which runs west to east through Topeka. In the Kansas River Corridor through the center of town, downtown Topeka has experienced apartment and condominium loft development, and façade and streetscape improvements. On March 1, 2010, Topeka Mayor Bill Bunten issued a proclamation calling for Topeka to be known for the month of March as "Google, Kansas,

1088-557: The Oregon Trail . About 60 miles (97 km) 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, but little else was in the area. In the early 1850s, traffic along

1156-516: The Treaty of Fontainebleau . In 1800, Spain returned Louisiana to France. In 1803, the United States purchased the territory , which included most of the land of modern Kansas , from France for $ 15 million (~$ 371 million in 2023). In the 1840s, wagon trains made their way west from Independence, Missouri , on a journey of 2,000 miles (3,000 km), following what came to be known as

1224-490: The capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County . It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States . As of the 2020 census , the population of the city was 126,587. The Topeka metropolitan statistical area , which includes Shawnee, Jackson , Jefferson , Osage , and Wabaunsee Counties, had

1292-472: The prairie turnip , cultivated by the Kaw and Osage, rather than the common potato known to European Americans. In 1867, Joe Jim accompanied a Kaw delegation headed by Chief Al-le-ga-wa-ho to Washington. The Kaw were declining rapidly as a tribe, and losing their lands to White settlers. They sought a new reservation free of white squatters in the Indian Territory (later Oklahoma ). Joe Jim

1360-579: The 1830s, the Potawatomi had been removed by the US from east of the Mississippi River. The U.S. military forced them to move to Kansas from the Ohio River valley. Joe Jim has been credited with naming Topeka, Kansas . Asked by White settlers what the name of the place was, he answered, "Topeka", stating that its Native American name meant "a good place to grow potatoes". This was probably in reference to

1428-412: The 1966 tornado and has sustained steady economic growth. Washburn University, which lost several historic buildings, received financial support from the community and alumni to rebuild many school facilities. Today, university facilities offer more than one million square feet of modern academic and support space. In 1974, Forbes Air Force Base closed and more than 10,000 people left Topeka, influencing

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1496-521: The 54,092 households, 24.1% had children under the age of 18; 38.4% were married couples living together; 34.9% had a female householder with no husband present. 37.3% of households consisted of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 3.0. 22.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

1564-633: 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. The group included Cyrus K. Holliday , an "idea man", who became mayor of Topeka and founder of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad . Soon, steamboats were regularly docking at

1632-542: 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 a tornado rated F5 on 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 if left undisturbed. A few years prior to

1700-592: 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 that offered many Victorian era comforts. Topeka was a bastion for the free-state movement during the problems in Kansas Territory between abolitionist and proslavery settlers (the latter of whom controlled the legal government based out of Lecompton ). After southern forces barricaded Topeka in 1856, Topeka's leaders took actions to defend

1768-448: The Topeka tornado stands as one of the most costly 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 home of a National Weather Service Forecast Office that serves 23 counties in north-central, northeast, and east-central Kansas). Topeka recovered from

1836-493: The United States. On June 4, 1873, the Kaw, diminished to 500 people by disease, alcoholism, and warfare, from their earlier population of 1,500, packed their possessions and left for a new reservation in what became Kay County, Oklahoma . Their numbers continued to decline, reaching a low of about 200 in 1890. Joe Jim and his wife Margaret established a homestead on the east bank of the Arkansas River just south of

1904-751: The capital city of fiber optics ". The name change came from Ryan Gigous, who wanted to "re-brand" the city with a simple gesture. This was to help "support continuing efforts to bring Google's fiber experiment " to Topeka, though it was not a legal name change. Lawyers advised the city council and mayor against an official name change. Google jokingly announced it would change its name to Topeka to "honor that moving gesture" on April 1, 2010 ( April Fools' Day ) and changed its home page to say Topeka. In its official blog, Google announced this change thus affected all of its services as well as its culture, e.g. "Googlers" to "Topekans", "Project Virgle" to "Project Vireka", and proper usage of "Topeka" as an adjective and not

1972-452: The cases. Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor said the DA "would no longer prosecute misdemeanors committed in Topeka, including domestic battery, because his office could no longer do so after county commissioners cut his budget by 10%". The next day, Taylor said his office would "commence the review and filing of misdemeanors decriminalized by the City of Topeka". The same day, 17% of

2040-479: The chief slave escape passage and free-trade road. 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 Kansas enjoyed from the close of the war in 1865 until 1870. In the 1870s, many former slaves, known as Exodusters, settled on the east side of Lincoln Street between Munson and 12th Streets. The area

2108-485: The citizens again voted to extend the quarter-cent sales tax, this time for the economic development of Topeka and Shawnee County. In August, 2004, Shawnee County citizens voted to repeal the 2000 quarter-cent sales tax and replace it with a 12-year, half-cent sales tax designated for economic development, roads, and bridges. Each year, the sales tax provides $ 5 million designated for business development and job creation incentives, and $ 9 million for roads and bridges. Planning

North Topeka, Kansas - Misplaced Pages Continue

2176-547: The city beginning in 1911. Monroe Elementary, a segregated school that figured in the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, through the efforts of the Brown Foundation working with the Kansas Congressional delegation place in the early 1990s, is now Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. The Brown Foundation is largely responsible for the content of the interpretive exhibits at

2244-582: The city was 36 years. The city's gender makeup was 47.8% male and 52.2% female. As of the 2000 census , 122,377 people, 52,190 households, and 30,687 families were residing in the city. The population density was 2,185.0 inhabitants per square mile (843.6/km ). There were 56,435 housing units at an average density of 1,007.6 per square mile (389.0/km ). The city's racial makeup was 78.5% White , 11.7% African American , 1.31% Native American , 1.09% Asian , 4.10% from other races, and 3.26% from two or more races . Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.9% of

2312-472: The city's growth patterns for years to come. During the 1980s, Topeka citizens voted to build a new airport and convention center and to change the form of city government. West Ridge Mall opened in 1988, replacing the White Lakes Mall , which opened in 1964. In 1989, Topeka became a motorsports mecca with the opening of Heartland Park Topeka . The Topeka Performing Arts Center opened in 1991. In

2380-591: The deaths of two American soldiers. In the 1850s, Joe Jim had an arm amputated due to "poisoning", which ended his active life. He became an interpreter for the U.S. government in 1858, and thereafter was a principal point of contact between Whites and the Kaw tribe. He lived in both worlds but was not accepted fully in either. One of the US Indian agents for whom Joe Jim worked was Hiram Warner Farnsworth . In 1859, James served as an informant for pioneering ethnologist Lewis Henry Morgan . Morgan said of him: He

2448-438: The early 1990s, the city experienced business growth with Reser's Fine Foods locating in Topeka and expansions for Santa Fe and Hill's Pet Nutrition. During the 1990s, voters approved bond issues for public school improvements, including magnet schools, technology, air conditioning, classrooms, and a sports complex. Voters also approved a quarter-cent sales tax for a new law-enforcement center, and in 1996, approved an extension of

2516-511: The east wing, and then the west wing, and finally the central building, using Kansas limestone . In fall 1864, a stockade fort, later named Fort Simple , was built in the intersection of 6th and Kansas Avenues to protect Topeka, should Confederate forces then in Missouri decide to attack the city. It was abandoned by April 1865 and demolished in April 1867. State officers first used the state capitol in 1869, moving from Constitution Hall , what

2584-489: The employees in the district attorney's office were announced to be laid off. 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

2652-526: The fight for equality for gays and lesbians". They have sometimes successfully brought lawsuits against the city of Topeka. Directly across the street from them is the Equality House , a pro-LGBT home where volunteers of Planting Peace can stay. It is painted in rainbow colors and serves as a home for social workers caring for the LGBT+ community. Joseph James and Joseph James, Jr. Joe Jim Sr.

2720-696: The first Baháʼí community in Kansas, in Enterprise, in 1897. This was the second Baháʼí community in the Western Hemisphere. Topeka is home of the Westboro Baptist Church , a hate group according to the Southern Poverty Law Center . The homophobic church has garnered worldwide media attention for picketing the funerals of U.S. servicemen and women for what church members claim as "necessary to combat

2788-414: The free-state town from invasion. A militia was organized and stone fortifications were built on Quincy Street. The fortifications seemed to consist of low-lying earthwork levies strengthened by the presence of at least one cannon. The militia manned the fortifications until at least September 1856, when the siege around the town was lifted. After a decade of abolitionist and pro-slavery conflict that gave

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2856-525: The frontier, he was apparently illiterate. In 1846 and 1847, during the Mexican–American War , together with Peter Revard, a mixed-blood Osage, Joe Jim drove a herd of cattle from Kansas to New Mexico to feed American soldiers. He worked as a teamster during a United States military campaign against the Navajo . While returning to Kansas in a wagon train, he survived a Comanche attack that resulted in

2924-406: The historic site. 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

2992-687: The home of Oliver 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. In 1960, the Census Bureau reported Topeka's population as 91.8% White and 7.7% Black. At the time the suit was filed, only the elementary schools were segregated in Topeka, and Topeka High School had been fully integrated since its inception in 1871. Furthermore, Topeka High School

3060-403: 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

3128-407: The merchants of Council Grove. Nobody was seriously hurt on either side. During the battle, Joe Jim galloped 60 miles (97 km) on horseback to Topeka to inform the governor that the enemy Cheyenne were attacking and to request assistance. With him on the ride was an eight-year-old nephew called "Indian Charley". This was Charles Curtis , who later was elected as a Congressman and as Vice President of

3196-401: The population. Of the 52,190 households , 28.0% had children under 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 not families. About 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.27, and the average family size

3264-425: The racial counts and placed in their own category) was 64.18% (81,243) White (non-Hispanic) , 9.93% (12,574) Black (non-Hispanic) , 0.92% (1,169) Native American (non-Hispanic) or Alaskan Native (non-Hispanic) , 1.61% (2,043) Asian (non-Hispanic) , 0.11% (135) Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) , 0.36% (458) from other race (non-Hispanic) , 6.49% (8,216) Multiracial , and 16.39% (20,749) Hispanic or Latino . Of

3332-469: The railway started moving westward from Topeka, where general offices and machine shops of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad system were established in 1878. During the late 1880s, Topeka passed through a boom period that ended in disaster. Vast speculation on town lots occurred. The 1889 bubble burst, and many investors were ruined. Topeka, however, doubled in population during the period, and

3400-844: The rainfall is delivered by thunderstorms. These can be severe, producing frequent lightning , large hail , and sometimes tornadoes. An average of 100 days of measurable precipitation occur per year. Winter snowfall is light, as is the case in most of the state, as a result of the dry, sunny weather patterns that dominate Kansas winters, which do not allow for sufficient moisture for significant snowfall. Winter snowfall averages 17.1 in (43 cm). Measurable (≥0.1 in or 0.25 cm) snowfall occurs an average of 12 days per year, with at least 1.0 in (2.5 cm) of snow being received on five of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 17.7 days per year. The 2020 United States census counted 126,587 people, 54,092 households, and 30,361 families in Topeka. The population density

3468-621: The sales tax for the East Topeka Interchange connecting the Oakland Expressway, K-4, I-70, and the Kansas Turnpike. During the 1990s, Shawnee County voters approved tax measures to expand the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. The Kansas Legislature and governor also approved legislation to replace the majority of the property tax supporting Washburn University with a countywide sales tax. In 2000,

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3536-524: The territory the nickname Bleeding Kansas , it was admitted to the Union in 1861 as the 34th state. Topeka was chosen as the capital, with Charles Robinson as the first governor. In 1862, Cyrus K. Holliday donated a tract of land to the state for the construction of a state capitol. Construction of the Kansas State Capitol began in 1866. About 37 years were needed to build the capitol, first

3604-425: The tornado strike, development began near the mound, including a water tank constructed near the top of the mound against the warnings of local Native Americans. The tornado went on to rip through the city, hitting the downtown area and Washburn University. Total repair cost was put at $ 100 million, making it, at the time, one of the most costly tornadoes in American history. Even to this day, with inflation factored in,

3672-464: Was $ 32,634 (+/- $ 944). Approximately, 9.5% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 16.7% of those under the age of 18 and 7.8% of those ages 65 or over. As of the census of 2010, the city had 127,473 people, 53,943 households, and 30,707 families. The population density was 2,118.5 inhabitants per square mile (818.0/km ). The 59,582 housing units averaged 990.2/sq mi (382.3/km ). The city's racial makeup

3740-409: Was $ 45,803. Males had a median income of $ 32,373 versus $ 25,633 for females. The city's per capita income 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. Although Topeka experienced problems with crime in the 1990s, the city's crime rates have improved since. Overall, crime in Topeka

3808-670: Was 2,060.3 per square mile (795.4/km ). There were 60,489 housing units at an average density of 984.5 per square mile (380.1/km ). The U.S. Census accounts for race by two methodologies. "Race alone" and "Race alone less Hispanics" where Hispanics are delineated separately as if a separate race. The racial makeup (including Hispanics in the racial counts) was 68.44% (86,642) white , 10.44% (13,218) black or African-American , 1.36% (1,723) Native American , 1.64% (2,073) Asian , 0.12% (153) Pacific Islander , 6.09% (7,707) from other races , and 11.91% (15,071) from two or more races. The racial and ethnic makeup (where Hispanics are excluded from

3876-413: Was 2.94. About 24.3% of the city's population was under age 18, 9.9% was from age 18 to 24, 28.9% was from age 25 to 44, 21.9% was from age 45 to 64, and 15.1% was age 65 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. As of 2000, the city's median household income was $ 35,928, and the median family income

3944-473: Was 38.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 87.3 males. The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $ 49,647 (with a margin of error of +/- $ 1,860) and the median family income $ 64,454 (+/- $ 1,541). Males had a median income of $ 36,601 (+/- $ 1,727) versus $ 29,303 (+/- $ 1,097) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old

4012-408: Was 76.2% White, 11.3% African American, 1.4% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 4.8% from other races, and 4.9% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 13.4% of the population. Non-Hispanic Whites were 69.7% of the population in 2010, down from 86.3% in 1970. Of the 53,943 households, 29.5% had children under 18 living with them, 37.9% were married couples living together, 14.2% had

4080-482: Was a signatory to an 1825 treaty ceding Kaw land to the United States government, under the name of Ky-he-ga-shin-ga (Little Chief). Fluent in Kaw ( Kanza ) and Osage (nearly identical with Kaw), and later French and English, he became an interpreter for the U.S. government about 1829. In 1830, he served as a guide for a surveying expedition to western Kansas by missionary Isaac McCoy . McCoy, critical of most of his associates, praised Joe Jim. The last record of Joe Jim

4148-402: 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 was not left out. The Smith Automobile Company was founded there in 1902, lasting until 1912. Home to the first African-American kindergarten west of the Mississippi River, Topeka was

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4216-470: 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

4284-528: Was down nearly 18% in the first half of 2008, compared with the same period of 2007. Topeka police reported a 6.4% drop in crime from 2007 to 2008, including significant reductions in business robberies and aggravated assaults and batteries, as well as thefts. On October 11, 2011, the Topeka city council agreed to repeal the ordinance banning domestic violence in an effort to force the Shawnee County District Attorney to prosecute

4352-550: Was involved in one of the most colorful and public Indian battles in the West. On June 1, 1868, about 100 Cheyenne warriors descended upon the Kaw reservation near Council Grove, Kansas . The Kaw men sallied forth to meet them, and for four hours, the tribes staged a military pageant described as a "battle royal". When the Cheyenne retired from the field, they took a few stolen horses and a peace offering of coffee and sugar donated by

4420-772: Was known as Tennessee Town because so many of them were from the Volunteer State. Charles Sheldon, pastor of the Central Congregational Church, organized the first African American kindergarten west of the Mississippi in 1893. Lincoln College, now Washburn University , was established in 1865 in Topeka by a charter issued by the State of Kansas and the General Association of Congregational Ministers and Churches of Kansas. In 1869,

4488-627: Was probably born in the 1790s at the Osage town in Vernon County, Missouri . He was probably the son of a French trader and an Osage woman. By about 1815, Joe Jim was living among the Kaw tribe along the Kansas River in what would become the state of Kansas . Joe Jim married Wyhesee (b. c. 1802), a daughter of Kaw chieftain White Plume . He became an important member of the tribe. Joe Jim

4556-511: Was the only public high school in the city of Topeka. Other rural high schools existed, such as Washburn Rural High School—created in 1918—and Seaman High School—created in 1920. 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 in 1939 again renamed, to Hayden High School after its founder, Father Francis Hayden — also served

4624-638: 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 few churches in the U.S. to have its sanctuary completely decorated with Tiffany stained glass (another is St. Luke's United Methodist in Dubuque, Iowa ; another is the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Cumberland, Maryland ). The Roman Catholic population

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